MY OSCAR PICKS!!!!

     It's that time of year again.  Time to give my annual Oscar picks.  If you are looking for Best Sound Editing however, find another blog, nerd.  These are for the main categories only.  For those of you experiencing my picks for the first time here's how it works:  I will break each award up by category, do a recap of the nominations, and do a short summary on who WILL win and who SHOULD win.  I will also provide a full disclosure if I have not seen a particular movie.  Got it?  OK here we go!!!

BEST ACTOR

NOMINEES:

Bradley Cooper-"Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis-"Lincoln"
Hugh Jackman-"Les Miserables"
Joaquin Phoenix-"The Master"
Denzel Washington-"Flight"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I have not seen Flight or The Master.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     There's never been an actor who's won three Oscars in the Best Actor category....until now.  Daniel Day-Lewis absolutely deserves the Oscar.  His performance in Lincoln was flawless and this is one of those rare times were talent will decidedly trump popularity.  It's the Irishman all the way.

WHO WILL WIN?

     As excellent as Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper were, if anyone other than DDL walks away with the trophy it will be the biggest upset in the history of the Oscars.  I just don't see that happening.  Day-Lewis will take home his third trophy. 


BEST ACTRESS

NOMINEES:

Jessica Chastain-"Zero Dark Thirty"
Jennifer Lawrence-"Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva-"Amour"
Quvenzhane Wallis-"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Naomi Watts-"The Impossible"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I  have not seen Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, or The Impossible.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     Of the two films in this category I have seen, Jennifer Lawrence was head and shoulders above Jessica Chastain.  Her performance in SLP was a raw, multilayered, and visceral performance that amazes me for a woman of twenty-two.  If she does win, Lawrence will be the youngest person ever to win the Best Actress Award.

WHO WILL WIN?

     As much push as Jennifer Lawrence is getting right now, I have a scary feeling that popularity is going to rule the day and youth is going to play a factor in this choice and that Jessica Chastain is going to win.  If it does happen it will be quite the injustice too.  As good as Chastain was, Lawrence was better.  Hopefully Lawrence will have other chances.


BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

NOMINEES:

Alan Arkin-"Argo"
Robert De Niro-"Silver Linings Playbook"
Philip Seymour Hoffman-"The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones-"Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz-"Django Unchained"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I have not seen Argo or The Master.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     Of the three films I've seen, Waltz's performance in Django Unchained was the best.  De Niro's portrayal was very good but not Oscar worthy and I thought Tommy Lee Jones's performance was WAY overhyped.  Waltz is quickly becoming one of my favorite character actors and I'd love to see him take home another golden statue.

WHO WILL WIN?

     You could literally through a dart at a board for this category.  This is one of the more difficult winners to predict because none of the actors in this group are a stone cold lock.  However, I think popularity again will rule the day and since De Niro hasn't been nominated in over twenty years and hasn't won for thirty-two I'm guessing the little gold man goes to Jack from Meet the Parents.


BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

NOMINEES:

Amy Adams-"The Master"
Sally Field-"Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway-"Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt-"The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver-"Silver Linings Playbook"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I haven't seen The Master or The Sessions.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     I really feel bad for Amy Adams.  Besides from being incredibly hot and talented this is like the fifth time she's been nominated for an Academy Award.  If it wasn't for Anne Hathaway I'd be rooting for Adams all the way even though I haven't seen the movie.  As good as Sally Field was as the emotionally tortured Mary Todd Lincoln, Hathaway's performance in Les Miserables was brilliant.  My girlfriend--er--Anne Hathaway should win.

WHO WILL WIN?

     Much like the Best Actor category this one is a no brainer too.  I don't see how anyone besides Hathaway walks off the stage without the Oscar.  Hathaway's Fantine brought a depth and emotion to the character rarely seen on film.  Talk about an emotional and physical transformation!  Hathaway all the way.


BEST DIRECTOR

NOMINEES:

Michael Haneke-"Amour"
Benh Zeitlin-"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Ang Lee-"Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg-"Lincoln"
David O. Russell-"Silver Linings Playbook"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I havent' seen Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, or Life of Pi.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     Ben Affleck.  Look I know I haven't seen Argo yet (although I plan to tonight) but I'm going to trust what I've read, heard, and talked to my friends about on this one.  A couple of my friends have seen the movie and say it is a total joke that Affleck isn't nominated.  Given his track record for directing I'm inclined to agree.  Gone Baby Gone and The Town are fantastic and I find it highly unlikely that a movie with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 96% is bad.  But I could be wrong.  I'll find out tonight.  Either way though, the Academy ought to be ashamed for leaving him AND Kathryn Bigelow off the ballot.

WHO WILL WIN?

     Again another tough call because Affleck isn't in the bunch.  I'd say it is between Spielberg and Lee.  I think Spielberg wins his third here because Lincoln was so well reviewed and by all accounts is a much more accessible film than Life of Pi.  Don't count out David O. Russell though.  He's been nominated before and the lack of a front runner in this category may lean in his favor.


BEST PICTURE

NOMINEES:

"Amour"
"Argo"
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Django Unchained"
"Les Miserables"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I haven't seen Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, or Life of Pi.

WHO SHOULD WIN?

     For my money the film that should win is Django Unchained.  It was one of my favorite films last year, contained great performances, a kick-ass story, fantastic cinematography, and turned a cold and calculating eye on slavery.  A film like this will never win however because Hollywood is full of stuffed shirts who usually don't "get" Tarantino's movies.  Also the tragic Sandy Hook shooting didn't lend any help to the campaign either.

WHO WILL WIN?

     I'm going to say Argo even though I haven't seen it yet.  The various award shows over the last couple weeks show the writing on the wall, and all the words point to Argo being the big winner tomorrow night.  If Argo fails to pull it off, Lincoln should wrangle the trophy.  But my money is on Argo.


     Well there you have it!  Check back next week when I review the highs, lows, and surprises of this year's Oscars.

DVD and Blu Ray releases for the week of February 25th!!!

Here are your Blu Ray and DVD releases for Tuesday February 26:

The Master, Silent Hill: Revelation, Holy Motors, This Is Not A Film**, Chronicle of a Summer, Sansho the Bailiff, Rocko's Modern Life The Complete Series**, Law and Order Season 12**, WWE: Royal Rumble 2013, Wild Africa 3D*

For Saturday March 2nd:

Breaking Dawn Part II, Breaking Dawn Part I Extended Edition*

*Blu Ray only
**DVD only

Kodi Smit-McPhee gets his stinking paws on a role in "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"

     I'm a huge Kodi Smit-McPhee fan.  I thought he was awesome in The Road and I've heard he's just as good in Let me In and Hugo.  Plus he's playing the lead role of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin in this November's Ender's Game, which just happens to be my favorite science fiction book.
     Well it looks like the teenage actor has snagged another solid role.  Smit-McPhee will reteam with director Matt Reeves (Let Me In) for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in an undisclosed role.  Zero Dark Thirty's Jason Clarke is also looking to snag a part as well.
     Little is known about the plot of the film except that it is set fifteen years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes and that most of mankind has been wiped out.  Filming begins later this year with a release date of May 23, 2014.  Aside from Ender's Game, Smit-McPhee can soon be seen in Romeo & Juliet, The Congress, The Wilderness of James, and A Briber's Guide to Everything.

Tyrion will not be pixelated in "X-Men: Days of Future Past"

     If you had any ideas about Peter Dinklage being a CGI character in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past think again.  Not happening.
     Director Bryan Singer tells IGN that Dinklage will not be computer animated.  Singer goes on to say that Dinklage is a great talent and wants his acting ability to shine through in the real world.  I completely concur.  The dude won an Emmy after all and stature has nothing to do with talent.  If it did Ashton Kutcher would have 10 Oscars right now.  The dude is kick ass on "Game of Thrones" and I'm stoked that he's not going to be hidden behind a wall of CGI cloth.
     Still no word yet on the actual villain that Peter Dinklage will play although the rumor of the week is the character Modok.  XMDOFP is still in pre-production and will begin shooting later this spring.

"You are a dirty pirate hooker Cyclops!!" James Marsden joins the cast of "Anchorman 2"

     According to "Deadline" underappreciated actor James Marsden (X-Men, Sex Drive) has signed on for Anchorman: The Legend Continues.  Marsden will play Burgundy's (Will Ferrell's) rival anchor and nemesis.  As to a name and any other further details there is nothing to reveal right now.  I thought for a moment that Marsden might be replacing Vince Vaughn as Wes Mantooth when I heard the description, but I think they would have just said so.*
     This casting news comes on the heels of SNL alum Kristen Wiig being cast as Brick Tamland's (Steve Carrell's wife).  I can't wait to see what she brings to the table.  ("I love lamp.  I love Brick.")
     Filming beings this May in Atlanta with a December 20th planned release date.

*There's no way Vince Vaughn doesn't come back for this movie right?

Mark Hamill discussess involvement with Star Wars VII

     Rumors about the future of the Star Wars franchise have flown around more than laser beams in a blaster fight.  The "who will and who won't be" dance is becoming quite exhausting.  While most believe that original actors Mark Hamill*, Carrier Fisher, and Harrison Ford will return, nothing is set in stone.
     On the bright side it is finally nice to get some solid intel from Luke Skywalker himself via "ET Online."  In terms of involvement Hamill states that the studio currently wants the three actors to meet with screenwriter Michael Arndt, although the meetings have been canceled twice on the other end because of how busy Disney is.  Hamill also revealed that the three have been told that if they don't want to be involved the characters would be written out, they wouldn't cast another actor.  (Good call.)
     Mark also suspects that Luke Skywalker's story would pick up with his offspring, which would be a logical enough conclusion considering how much time has passed.  He also wants Disney to strike the right balance between CGI and practical effects and believes a Wookie planet related one off movie would be a good idea.  Here is the quote I found most intriguing though when Hamill was asked WHERE he'd like to see the franchise go:

"I said to George that I wanted to go back to the way it was, in the sense that ours was much more carefree and lighthearted and humorous – in my opinion, anyway. And another thing I'd want to make sure of is are we going to have the whole gang back? Is Carrie and Harrison and Billy Dee and Tony Daniels, everybody that's around from the original [returning]? I want to make sure that everybody's on board here, rather than just one.

     I couldn't agree more.  The complaint of most Star Wars fans was that the prequels seemed goofy and to not take into consideration the fans' thoughts.  If Disney can recapture the spirit and tone of the originals (especially Empire) they will go a long way in creating a dynamic and enjoyable new trilogy.  My only concern is that if one or more of the other actors decides NOT to come back that Hamill will bail.  It shouldn't be a "if he's not in no one's in situation" because that seems really juvenile.  I love the fact that he asked about bringing Billie Dee back though.
     Personally, I think they should bring all the main characters back and kill them off at some point in the new trilogy.  Some people may crucify me for stating this but at some point you have to pass the trilogy onto a new generation of Jedis--whoever they are.
     Star Wars Episode VII hits sometime in 2015 or 2016.

*Not that I should throw stones but if Mark Hamill is involved he's probably going to want to hit the gym.  Luke Skywalker looks like he's been hitting the buffet line at the Mos Eisley Cantina a couple times of day.

This week's DVD and Blu Ray movie releases!

Here are your Blu Ray and DVD releases for Tuesday February 19th:

Argo, Anna Karenina, Undefeated, Small Apartments, The Package, Fun Size, Atlas Shrugged Part II, Game of Thrones Season 2, Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, Monster's Inc, Top Gun*, On the Waterfront, The Terminator*, The Insider*, Best in Show*, Easter Parade*, The Thief of Bagdad, The Nest, Night of the Demons 2

*Blu Ray only

The man who played Thor will swing is hammer at a cyber thriller with director Michael Mann

     It's been awhile since director Michael Mann sat in the director's chair, but apparently the man who brought you Heat is ready to take another crack at this directing thing.  He's also found his leading man in actor Chris Hemsworth.
     The two will team up for an untitled cyber thriller that focuses on the world of computer attacks, threats, and hacks.  Mann is also co-writing the script with Morgan Davis Foehl who also is writing the Mass Effect script.
     Hemsworth pounds back into theaters this November with Thor: The Dark World.

Tag team back again--Jeniffer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper reuniting for David O. Russell's next film

     There was undeniable chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook.  It's hardly surprising then that the two will team up once again with SLP director David O. Russell for his next project.
     Lawrence and Cooper are set to star in...well the film is currently being retitled because it was originally called American Bullshit.  (Can't imagine why they'd want to retitle it.)  Here's a synopsis:

The true-life investigation known as ABSCAM, which was a sting operation set up by the FBI out of the organization’s Long Island offices that targeted government officials who had been collecting bribes. The actions of a team of investigators brought to justice one U.S. senator, five members of the House of Representatives, one member of the New Jersey state senate, several members of the Philadelphia City Council, and many more members of the chain of command.

     Sounds pretty interesting, although at this point I'd probably watch Lawrence read Hustler magazine she's that good of an actress.  Lawrence will play the wife of Christian Bale although not much is known beyond that.  "Cinema Blend" doesn't even reveal what role Cooper will play.  However we do know that Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Louis CK will be in the film.  That's pretty impressive.
     Lawrence can next be seen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire this November and you can catch Cooper reprising his role as Phil in May's The Hangover Part III.

     

Mendes. Sam Mendes. Will the director return for another Bond?

     Skyfall was maybe the most fun I had at the movies all last year and I think really deserved serious consideration as a Best Picture nominee.  A large part of the reason for Skyfall's success was Academy Award winning director (American Beauty) Sam Mendes. 
     Not long after the film hit theaters the questions arose as to if Mendes would return for another Bond.  Initially, most thought no because the next Bond was rumored to be a two parter that required a four year commitment.  However, that plan has since been scrapped and "The Daily Mall" reports that there is a 75% chance that Mendes will return.  Currently screenwriter John Logan has a rough draft of the next film and Mendes is eagerly awaiting a complete script before committing.  (Good idea.)
     Meanwhile Mendes is directing King Lear and also is putting together a musical adaptation of "Charlie and the Chocolate" factory releasing on stage on May 18th.
     Bond 24 is set to start shooting later this year or early 2014.

"Spawn" reboot to have Academy Award winning actor in main role

     The question is who?
     I don't think 1997's Spawn was as bad as everyone says it was but then again I've only seen it once.  The only significant thing I remember about the movie, besides Michael Jai White's performance, is a point where he says the line, "I'm not going to do Hell's dirty work anymore!" and my friend Joe next to me says, "I want to dance!"  Cracked the whole theater up.
     "MTV Geek," "Bleeding Cool," and creator Todd McFarlane report that McFarlane has an Academy Award winning actor waiting in the wings as soon as a script is completed.  McFarlane freely admits that the script writing process is going slow.  He says he's writing "a page here and a page there" so who knows when we will actually get the chain wielding Hell denizen back on the big screen.
     McFarlane won't say who the actor is but he says the person phones every three weeks or so asking where the script is.  Spawn is in fact a black man so that narrows down the choices.  The best bet is probably Jamie Foxx, since he's the closest in age to the character.  Denzel Washington is too old and I don't think would go with the comic book genre.  Also Cuba Gooding Junior has kind of become irrelevant so I'm not sure he'd have a lot of appeal.
      For those of you who don't know, the Spawn comic book revolves around a special forces assassin who is betrayed and murdered and then sent to Hell.  In order to see his wife again he makes a deal with the devil to lead the devil's army of demons on Earth.  However, once he returns to Earth he starts to rebel.
     Spawn actually appeared on HBO in the 1990s as an animated feature that was awesome.  Let's just hope the next film (if it happens) is just as good.

Harrison Ford set to reprise his role as Han Solo in "Star Wars"

     It seems that former Star Wars members are slowly but surely being pulled back into the Sarlacc pit.
      Initially I took this news with a grain of salt since the only source was "Latino Review" but since then "Fox News Latino" and also the website "Comicbook movie" have joined the mix.
     All three are reporting that septuagenarian Harrison Ford is set to reprise has role as the devil may care Han Solo in the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII.  Obviously no contracts have officially been signed, although Ford said he would be down to reprise the role several months ago.  (Ironic considering he once told George Lucas that he should kill off his character at the end of Return of the Jedi).  Personally I think it is inevitable that he, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher will return at least for the first film.
     One thing I don't hear anyone mentioning is bringing back Billie Dee Williams as Lando.  I would love to see what direction the writers go with his character.
     Star Wars Episode VII hits theaters in summer 2015 or 2016.  Ford meanwhile will next appear in 42 as Branch Rickey in April, and as Colonel Hyrum Graff in November's science fiction film Ender's Game.

Peter Dinklage to be main villain in "X-Men: Days of Future Past"

     If you haven't tuned into HBO's "Game of Thrones" you are really missing out.  Far and away the best character on that show is Tyrion Lannister (aka "The Imp") played by the impeccable Peter Dinklage.  Well proving that awards, good buzz, and talent can help a career, the Emmy Award winning actor has just signed on to play the main villain in X-Men: Days of Future Past. 
     Initial reports had Dinklage playing the character Puck from Marvel comics but that has since been dispelled by "Variety," who states that Dinklage will play the main antagonist.  As to what villain that may be there currently is no word.
     X-Men: Days of Future Past starts filming later this year with a release date of summer 2014.

"The Incredible Shrinking Man" may return to the screen...

     I'm a big fan of Richard Matheson.  Aside from influencing one of my favorite authors Stephen King, he also wrote arguably the best vampire novel next to Bram Stoker's "Dracula."  I'm speaking of course of the classic "I Am Legend."  It is one of the bigger movie injustices that Hollywood has turned that book into a film three times (The Last Man On Earth, The Omega Man, I Am Legend) and failed each time.  However, "The Hollywood Reporter" has revealed some big news regarding the 86 year old author.  Or should I say small?
     Matheson and his son are working on an updated version of his classic science fiction novel "The Shrinking Man."  The novel was originally adapted into film back in 1957 and was released as The Incredible Shrinking Man.  Matheson and son plan to update the movie to reflect nano-technology but hopes to keep the original spirit of the novel alive:

“My original story was a metaphor for how man’s place in the world was diminishing. That still holds today, where all these advancements that are going to save us will be our undoing.”

     I dig it.  Richard Matheson and his son will release the film through their company Matheson Entertainment.  Lets hope the author lives to see the new movie and that it will herald more Richard Matheson adaptations.

Hugh Laurie looking to join the cast of Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland"

     Director Brad Bird's upcoming feature Tomorrowland (formerly 1952) is quickly becoming the next Cloverfield.  No one seems to know what the hell it is about.  Aliens? Monsters? Nuclear war? Bill Clinton's homemade porn?  Who knows.
     What we do know is the feature will star George Clooney as the lead protagonist and if you believe "The Hollywood Reporter," the film may have found its principal antagonist as well.  Actor Hugh Laurie, best known for the television show "House" is negotiating to play the lead villain.  There are no details about his character but as I said there are little details about this film in general. 
     I like the idea of Laurie as a villain.  He certainly has the look.  Regardless it appears Laurie is eager to play a villain as he was recently attached to the Robocop remake before dropping out. 
     Tomorrowland is currently in pre-production with an expected release date of December 19, 2014.

New Grisham novel set to get the big screen treatment

     Although I haven't read anything by him in several years, John Grisham remains one of the more well known American authors.  Most of his legal thrillers are fantastic.  Yet there hasn't been an adaptation of one of his novels since 2004's Christmas With the Kranks.  Ouch.  Well that may be about to change.
     "THR" reveals that Grisham's latest novel "The Racketeer" will soon be made into a feature film care of director Daniel Espinosa (Safe House).  Here's a brief synopsis:

"Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered.

Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.

Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.

On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge’s body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday.."

     Sounds intriguing.  There aren't enough good legal thrillers on screen anymore, and if you're going to go to the well, you could do worse than John Grisham.  Personally I'd love to see Hollywood make Greg Iles' "The Quiet Game" into a film but in the meantime this will have to suffice.

ANOTHER "Twilight" fan fiction novel coming to the big screen

     Forget gun control debates, there needs to be a constitutional amendment to end this shit.
     I absolutely loathe anything Twilight.  The writing is atrocious, the acting in the films even worse, and I can't think of a worse role model for young girls than Bella Swan.  And just as the Twilight phase was dying down, E. L. James's "50 Shades of Grey" had to come out.  (Or as my friend likes to refer to it: "Mom Porn.")  The story, in case you didn't know, started out as on-line "Twilight" fan fiction and became a best seller.  Sigh.  Somewhere Pat Conroy weeps.
      Now, according to "The Hollywood Reporter," audiences are about to be subjected to more excrement that began as "Twilight" fan fiction.  Christina Lauren's "Beautiful Bastard" will be adapted into a motion picture by Constantin Film and Jeremy Bolt (Resident Evil) is set to produce.  I won't get into the "plot" but it is essentially the Bella/Edward story set in the corporate world without vampires or werewolves.  I'm assuming the bad story and worse acting will probably still come standard though.
     Seriously, I'm getting sick of Hollywood forcing feces down the public's throat and calling it fudge.  There are plenty of original ideas out there ripe for the picking but no we get this garbage.  Where the hell is the Chilean miner movie? 
    As of yet the film has no director and there have been no casting announcements but I'm sure Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep will be all over this soon.

Finding Sequel: Brooks and DeGeneres re-sign with Pixar

     I think most fans of Pixar will agree that their shining jewel in the crown is 2003's Finding Nemo.  I know it's my favorite of the bunch.  While a sequel has been talked about for years, it looks like Pixar is finally moving forward with the project.
     "Deadline" reports that Albert Brooks (who voiced Marlin in the original) just signed on the dotted line to resume his role.  He'll join co-star Ellen Degeneres (Dory) and both will reteam with original director Andrew Stanton.  God knows Stanton could use a hit after the colossal flop John Carter.  According to reports Stanton will get another shot at a live action film as part of the deal.
     My only concern is where do they go for the sequel?  I mean is Nemo going to get taken again?  That seems like a rehash of the original.  Have we learned nothing from The Hangover Part II?  My suggestion is that they focus on rescuing Nemo's friends from the fish tank in the first film.
     The movie, tentatively titled Finding Nemo 2, is slated for release in 2016.
    

"The Wolverine" trailer way will claw its way into theaters next month

     I'm eagerly anticipating James Mangold's film The Wolverine this summer.  The previous film X-Men Origins: Wolverine was an abomination that was disappointing on multiple levels.  But when the guy who did Walk the Line and 3:10 to Yuma took the reigns I knew the movie was in good hands.
     The film has been in the can for awhile now and fans of the clawed superhero are getting anxious for a preview.  Well fear not Wolverine enthusiasts.  Your desires will soon be satiated.
     "Coming Soon" and "Super Hero Hype" report that a preview for The Wolverine will debut on March 29th in front of G.I. Joe: Retaliation.  Lest you believe it is a rumor, the director also confirmed it on his Twitter account.  So there you have it.  You'll be able to see more of Jean Valjean's ripped abs next month and probably a crappy G.I. Joe movie as well.
     The Wolverine releases July 26th of this year.
    

Amanda Seyfried joins Seth MacFarlane comedy

     Fresh off her role as the enchanting Cosette in Les Miserables, blond bombshell Amanda Seyfried may have found her next role.
     "The Hollywood Reporter" states that Seyfried is in talks to join Charlize Theron in the Seth Macfarlane film A Million Ways to Die in the West.  The film is a Western comedy that:

"follows a sheepish farmer who chickens out of a gunfight and sees his girlfriend leave him. When he meets the wife of a notorious outlaw (Theron) who offers to teach him how to shoot, the farmer sees a chance to win back his love."

     This will be MacFarlane's first followup film since last year's Ted, and he will also be hosting the Oscars in a few weeks.  Seyfried will presumably play the farmer's girlfriend.  The actress can next be seen in Lovelace about the famous adult film star, while A Million Ways to Die in the West will have a late 2013 or early 2014 release date.

If Lawrence Kasdan has his way the "Star Wars" expanded universe will have no place in the new films

     Gotta say I'm a huge Lawrence Kasdan fan.  After all this is the dude who helped pen The Empire Strikes Back, arguably the best film in the Star Wars saga.  And although he is only going to be a consultant on the new trilogy, rumor has it that Kasdan will be the guy behind the first stand alone Star Wars film.  Whether it's about Yoda, Boba Fett, or Bib Fortuna, no one knows yet.
     According to "Hero Complex" what Kasdan does know however is that he'd like everything to be new.  And by new I mean having nothing to do with the Star Wars expanded universe:

“I’m trying to start fresh,” he said. “There are certain pleasures that we think the saga can bring to people that they’ve been missing, and we’re hoping to bring them that, and at the same time, have them feel that it’s all new.”

     Kasdan also thinks the same will hold true for the Episodes VII, VIII, and IX:

“George sort of brought me into this part of it, and he’s stepping back from the company,” he said. “He’s sort of given his blessing to everybody, and he’ll be there if you need him. I think everyone’s interested to see where this can go. It’s been some very different places over 30 years …. I think with J.J., we’ll get something entirely new.”

     You know I'm all about new as long as it is high quality, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed.  For those of  you who aren't an uber-nerd like me, the Star Wars expanded universe entails all the comics, novels, etc that have come out post Jedi.  Trust me there is a lot of good material there and I'm surprised that people in charge would just ignore the fallow material in front of them.  It begs the question of when and who will be involved in these films?  Is there a place for Luke Skywalker or Han Solo?  One thing is certain, there's no room for Jar Jar Binks.
     Episode VII will hit theaters sometime in 2015 or 2016.

Bullock to be bad guy in "Despicable Me" spinoff

     Personally, I think Sandra Bullock is a hack.  Her Best Actress Oscar for The Blind Side was one of the worst wins ever in the category.  I thought her performance was uninspired.  No matter what happens I will probably never see her as anything other than a go-to romantic comedy actress.  Snore.
     Well it appears that Bullock will be lending her considerable acting "talents" to an animated feature in the near future.  According to "Deadline" Bullock is set to play Scarlet Overkill (really?) in a spinoff to the Despicable Me movie entitled Minions.  Here's the plot:

"This spinoff establishes that Minions have existed since the beginning of time, in service of history’s most ambitiously evil villains. Through their lovable ineptitude, Minions have managed to thwart and ultimately kill all of those bad guys. This story picks up in the 1960s, before they hench-ed for Gru. After wiping out all their masters, the Minions fall into a collective depression and three of them set out to seek a new evil master. They wind up at a villain convention, where they compete for the right to be henchmen for Scarlet Overkill, whose Audrey Hepburn-like high style appearance belies her world domination ambition and her aspirations to become the world’s first female super-villain."

    The minions were easily the best part of Despicable Me and I'm pleased that they are getting their own film.  Despite my earlier statements I actually think Bullock will do well in this role.  At least she won't be in front the camera.
     Despicable Me 2 opens July 3rd this year and Minions is set to release December 19, 2014.

It's time for AH-NOLD to have his own biopic

     Some people think I have a disturbing man crush on Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I disagree.  I simply find the man fascinating.  He's also made some of the best action films of all time.  Predator, The Terminator, Conan The Barbarian, Total Recall, Jingle All the Way...OK maybe not the last one but you get my point.  Arnie of course has had his share of controversy over the last year and half with the news that he fathered a love child with his former maid.  Yet in spite of that, the Austrian and former governor of KALI-FORN-YA got right back to work.  He's already got The Last Stand in the theaters, The Tomb is coming out later this year, he's wrapping up another action pic called The Ten and he has plans to make another Conan movie and possibly more Terminator films as well.  Not bad for a guy of sixty-five.
     Yet if you follow the life and career of Schwarzenegger it is really not a surprise.  A close examination of his life reveals much more than a muscle bound jock who "got lucky."  Here's a man who came from a small village in Austria where he had no running water and lived in a four room house, he drove a tank in the army, he became a six time Mr. Olympia, came to America and started his own landscaping and real estate business all while learning English and competing.  He was a millionaire by thirty, a movie star at thirty-five, married a Kennedy, and become governor of California at fifty-six. 
     Arnold's tale is quite literally the biggest American immigrant success story of the last fifty years.  It truly exemplifies the American dream.  That's why I think this story deserves the big screen treatment.  I mean come on it is perfect fodder for Hollywood--self made man, movie stardom, wealth, prestige, controversy, politics; about the only thing Schwarzenegger's tale doesn't  have is a alien abduction.
     Sooner or later this man's life will be made into a movie.  Why not sooner?  It couldn't be any worse than the horrible made for television movie "Run Arnold Run."  My only question is who should play the main role?  If you ask Arnold he'd probably say him.  Even though he's way too old to play himself, I'm not stupid enough to tell him no.

DVD and Blu Ray releases for the week of February 11th!!!

Here are your DVD and Blu Ray releases for Tuesday February 12th:

Skyfall, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Sessions, Robot and Frank**, The Man with the Iron Fists, Bully, Weeds Season 8, Nurse Jackie Season Season 4, Gossip Girl Season 6

**DVD only

Good news this is, Frank Oz return he will if Yoda film reality it becomes

     The Jedi Master Yoda is easily one of my top five movie characters of all time and when the recent announcement of stand alone Star Wars movies came along, the green guy's name was right at the top of the list.
     According to "Screenrant" the voice and puppet master of Luke Skywalker's trainer, Frank Oz, is down for a return.  He says it depends on the script of course and that the puppet aspect of Yoda is out of the question, which I agree with wholeheartedly.  It is strange to me that he would say it would depend on the script considering The Phantom Menace was pretty awful.
     I for one think this is great news and I sincerely hope Oz returns.  More than anything though I'm looking forward to uncovering the Yoda's past which is shrouded in mystery. 
     In the meantime Star Wars Episode VII hits theaters summer 2015.

Review: Les Miserables

Plot:  Based on the novel by Victor Hugo and the Broadway musical of the same name, Les Miserables tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugo Jackman) a man imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread and then forced to live as a marked convict.  After stealing some silverware and receiving a reprieve from a kindly priest, Valjean uses the money to become a better man.  However, the relentless inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) constantly pursues the former prisoner convinced he cannot change his ways.  Amidst the toil to keep his identity a secret and benefit his community, Valjean comes in contact with the bereft Fantine (Anne Hathaway) who is forced into prostitution in order to provide for Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) her only daughter.  Vowing to help Fantine, Valjean takes Cosette under his protection.  Together the two face the dogged Javert, a rebellion in France, and Cosette's love for Marius (Eddie Redmayne).

Review:  Les Miserables is a bold, sweeping, and beautiful rendition of the classic musical from Academy Award winning director Tom Hooper.  Rife with fantastic acting performances, captivating music, and brilliant set design, Les Miserables proves to be the best movie musical since Chicago and perhaps one of the best of all time.
     While I usually believe that too many cooks ruin the pot when it comes to screenplays, scriptwriters William Nicholson, Alain Boubil, Claude-Michel Schoenberg, and Herbert Kretzmer do a near flawless job of breathing new life into the musical.  Hooper made the innovative choice to have the actors sing live and then put in the orchestral music after the fact, rather than have the songs recorded in post production.  While some felt the idea was misguided I think it was a colossal success and I applaud Hooper for making such a bold choice.  I particularly liked the opening song "Look Down" and the very funny "Master of the House." 
     Danny Cohen's cinematography masterfully captures the beauty and majesty of 18th century France which owes a large debt to the spectacular set and costume designers of Les Miserables.  Undoubtedly the film will be sure to capture a few Oscars in those categories when the Academy Awards airs in a few weeks. 
     Speaking of Oscars, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway's nominations are well deserved.  Jackman's Valjean is the perfect foil for the law minded Javert played by Russell Crowe.  Don't believe the negative criticism about Crowe by the way.  His acting and singing while not nearly as good as Hathaway or Jackman is still very good and I thought he made for a wonderful Javert.  It is simply stunning the transformation that Jackman goes through from destitute convict to well to do business man and surrogate father.  Not to mention he can sing.  If it wasn't for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in Lincoln he'd probably be the front runner for the Best Actor award.  (Although admittedly I have not seen Joaquin Phoenix's performance in The Master which I hear is equally impressive.)  As for Hathaway you might as well box up the Best Supporting Actress Award right now.  Her portrayal of the destitute and tragic Fantine is one for the ages and her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" is one of the best musical performances ever caught on film.
     My only complaint with Les Miserables is that it seems to drag in spots and is slightly too long.  It also is slightly bombastic at times and the social injustice aspect of the movie is about as subtle as a hammer to the head. 
     These are minor faults however and doesn't prevent a movie, whose literal translation means "the miserable," from being simply wonderful.

My rating:  9/10

And the year that "X-Men: Days of Future Past" will be set in is....

     1973.
     That's right.  The sequel to X-Men: First Class will jump forward eleven years to the disco 70s.  "Comic Book Movie" reports that although director Matthew Vaughn originally wanted it set during the Kennedy assassination, he felt 1973 was a more appropriate setting.  Three major things occurred in 1973 including the end of the US involvement in the Vietnam War, the launch of Skylab, and Watergate.  Now how any of these will factor in considering this a time travel based film is unknown.
     X-Men: Days of Future Past is set to shoot between April and August of this year with a release date of July 18, 2014.

Jeremy Renner to take on the CIA in new film

     Jeremy Renner is one of the hottest working actors today.  He was superb in The Hurt Locker and even better in The Town.  I even liked him in The Avengers.  Well it looks like Renner is about to sink his teeth into another meaty dramatic role.
     "Deadline" reports that Renner has signed on for the CIA thriller Kill the Messenger.  Renner will play real life journalist Gary Webb who exposed a CIA plot to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua and import cocaine into California.  The San Jose Mercury News reporter's expose resulted in a smear campaign from the CIA that tragically led to Webb's suicide.
    The film will be directed by Michael Cuesta who's directed a few episodes of the award winning HBO show "Homeland."  Kill the Messenger will be based on the books "Dark Alliance:  The CIA, The Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion" by Webb and "Kill the Messenger:  How the CIA's Crack Cocaine Controversy Destroyed Journalist Gary Webb" by Nick Schou.
      Personally I love thrillers that involve our government's major security departments and this looks like a good one. 

Fanboys Chill Out Already!!!

     While this may be the most amazing and technologically advanced era in the whole of human history there is a drawback.  With Twitter, Facebook, Ipads, the Internet, Smartphones, et al, we are living in what I like to call "the world of right now."  If it's not something we can look up in two seconds, tweet, or find on Wikipedia we immediately become irritated, frustrated, and impatient.  Mind you this is a society that is just a few decades removed from the wireless radio.  An era where if you wanted to communicate with someone you actually used the telephone, you didn't text, or you wrote a letter, you didn't email.
     I kind of feel that this "world of right now" has translated into the Fanboy world as well.  It is a sub or offshoot world if you will.  I like to call it "the world of unrealistic movie expectations."  We've become spoiled by such films as The Dark Knight, The Matrix, Iron Man, and 300 that anything less than perfection is seen as a huge let down.  How ridiculous!  Take for example two of the bigger tentpole movies from 2012, The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  While fanboys complained ad nauseum about the flaws in each film (and there are don't get me wrong) the one thing I gleaned was that these guys were angry that The Dark Knight Rises wasn't The Dark Knight and that The Hobbit wasn't The Lord of the Rings.  I guarantee that if The Dark Knight and The Lord of the Rings had never happened that those same fanboys would sing the praises of The Hobbit and The Dark Knight Rises.  The expectations anymore aren't just high, they're are unrealistic.  I mean Judas Priest people are already condemning Man of Steel because it has Jane Olson in it instead of Jimmy Olson and the movie doesn't premiere for another six months!  Get a grip already!
     Now that's not to say that audiences shouldn't expect a quality film when they shell out their hard earned money at the local theater.  Far from it.  But I do believe fanboys need to stop condemning films just because they don't live up to the expectations of previous superhero movies.  Sorry to break it to you nerds but Antman just doesn't have as compelling a back story as Batman.

See It Before You Size It Up

     It's an expression we've probably all heard before:  "Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself."
     In my work as a movie blogger I think I those words have kind of fallen by the wayside when it comes to my conclusions about movies.  It took two incidents to change my mind.  The first was the recent film Silver Linings Playbook.   SLP was a film I'd already prejudged going in.  I assumed it was going to be your standard rom-com with cookie cutter acting and blase directing.  I couldn't have been more wrong and I've since written quite the mea culpa in my review, especially to Bradley Cooper.
     The second incident was the "Sandy Hook Conspiracy" video that was circulating on YouTube.  Now at first I was hesitant to watch it because my initial reaction was of someone trying to capitalize on a tragedy to forward their own interests.  Many people I know refused to watch it just for that fact alone.  However, I felt it was necessary to watch the film because how can I justifiably condemn anything (books, music, movies, politicians, etc) without experiencing it first.  It just seemed to me like wilful ignorance and I personally think there is too much of that already in this world.  While some of the points raised were interesting, there were also a ton of holes.  And it just so happens that one of the things he pointed out (that strong evidence suggested no assault weapons were used) turned out to be right.  The bottom line is that I wouldn't have known these things had I not watched the video.  Again, although I didn't agree with the majority of the things in the video, I do appreciate the sentiment that one shouldn't take anything (especially in the media) at face value.  It is necessary to question and it's also human nature.  Even if the information is something you find reprehensible and anathema to your moral fiber, it's at least advantageous to know your enemy and their strategy.
     Bottom line is that I've decided I won't prejudge a film anymore.  I reserve the right to say, "this LOOKS awful" but I'm no longer going to say "this IS awful" without having seen it first.  If I haven't seen the film I'm going to say so up front.  So if this month at the Oscars an actor, actress, director, or film wins an award and I haven't seen it, I will flat out write that I can't assess the situation's merits without reviewing it first.
     I leave it to you, Constant Reader, to keep me honest.