Featurette/Trailer: Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus' Will Make Your Brain Explode in Anticipation

I'm trying desperately to avoid any further footage of this movie, and haven't even watched the new 3-minute trailer I included below.  I couldn't help myself with this relatively benign featurette though. I must say, the marketing department behind this movie deserves a serious golf clap. 'Prometheus' now rivals 'The Dark Knight Rises' as my most anticipated movie of the summer.
'Prometheus' hits theaters in 2D, IMAX, & IMAX 3D on June 8th.

First Look: Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock in 'Hitchcock'

Talk about spot-on casting... these two share the same initials and the same turkey neck!  Will Hannibal even need to act for this one?!?!

'Hitchcock' follows the making of the Hitchcock horror classic, 'Psycho', and is based on the book, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho.  I haven't read it, but apparently there were several trials and tribulations in getting the film made.  Color me intrigued (which I believe is somewhere between fuschia and robin's egg blue).

I wonder if this movie will get a shot-for-shot remake starring Vince Vaughn in 20 years...

First Look: 'Django Unchained' looks off the hook... see what I did there?

Well that was quick... Entertainment Weekly just released the first images from the set of Quentin Tarentino's new flick, 'Django Unchained'.

Sick overcoat, Christoph.  And Jamie, what is that color on your jacket... olive?  The costume designer for this movie must have been a store manager for Banana Republic.

Quite the ascot there, Leo.  Although I wouldn't suggest doing home improvement projects in a three piece suit.

This movie looks awesome already.  It looks like Quentin is going for a very specific look, which means that he has some serious ideas swirling around in that coke-laden genius head of his.  I loved the Spaghetti Western aspects of 'Kill Bill', so this should be as good or better.

Review: "Safe" Takes Absolutely No Risks

In 1998, there was a pretty crappy Bruce Willis actioner by the name of 'Mercury Rising' that followed an exiled FBI agent (Willis) who takes it upon himself to protect a young Autistic boy from numerous nameless assassins after he cracks a highly-secure government code.  'Safe' is the 2012 version of 'Mercury Rising', substituting action and swear words for the barely detectable heart of its predecessor.  What were producers Lawrence Bender, who has produced all of Tarentino's masterpieces, and Kevin Spacey, who has been tied to some of the best movies of my generation, thinking when they agreed to make 'Safe'?!

Jason Statham plays Bruce Willis, I mean Luke Wright, a tormented former NYPD detective and now undercard MMA fighter in New Jersey (what a backstory).  Wright is such a great fighter with obvious skeletons in his closet that he accidentally kills his latest opponent with one punch after taking a self-imposed beating during a fight he was supposed to throw anyway.  His victory has cost a lot of people a lot of money, namely a Russian mob boss who wants his payment.  The boss's son kills Luke's wife and unborn child, but leaves him unscathed to roam New York City's homeless shelters in anguish, urging him to kill himself.  Interestingly enough, you also find out (all through expository dialogue) that his old police friends don't like Luke's return to the Big Apple either.  For whatever reason, they kidnap him, beat him up, and again, urge Wright to commit suicide.





Meanwhile, a young, smart Chinese girl who is a wiz with numbers is kidnapped by the Chinese gang in NYC to run finances for several of the businesses the gang owns.  You find out that all of her business efforts were simply a test to evaluate her memory, as she is then tasked with remembering an extremely long and evidently important number for the head of the gang.  On her way to deliver the number to whoever, the Russian gang intercepts the motorcade, all hell breaks loose, and the girl escapes.  She crosses paths with Statham's character in the subway, literally on the edge, as he contemplates stepping in front of the next train.  He senses her danger, perceives her as his reason to live, and goes on a killing spree to thwart the efforts of the Russian gang, Chinese gang, and corrupt cops to capture her.  At no time do you care about this girl; she simply exists as a reason for Statham to kick ass.

The dialogue in 'Safe' is many times cringe-inducing, with characters simply used as plot devices to explain what the hell is happening, and Statham delivers one-liners that harken back to the days of Arnold/Stallone flicks (not in a good way).  The action, while brutal and at times impressive thanks to Statham, is rather pedestrian and often falls victim to the standard gun fight.

For all the nay-saying, there is some cool one-take cinematography during the scenes where the girl is abducted.  In addition, Statham does commit to his part in this movie, which encourages you to see the story through. 

Perhaps I'm being hard on 'Safe'; I just saw no reason for this one to be made.  Sorry Lawrence Bender.  'Safe' opens in theaters today, April 27th.

Acting: 4/10

Direction: 6/10

Writing: 4/10 

Movie: 5/10

Verdict:  Rent it if you're a Statham fan or you haven't seen 'Mercury Rising'

Michael Fassbender is a Robot... New 'Prometheus' Viral Video

This viral marketing for Ridley Scott's new 'Alien' prequel-ish flick, 'Prometheus', has me freaked out.  Now that I know Fassbender is an android in this movie, his stoic appearances in the trailer (below) make more sense.  The viral vid is interesting and creepy as hell, and I am absolutely PUMPED for this movie.

'Prometheus' stars the likes of Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce ('Memento') and Idris Elba (Stringer Bell on 'The Wire'), and is directed by Ridley Scott, the legendary director behind blockbusters like 'Gladiator', 'Black Hawk Down', 'Blade Runner', and obviously, 'Alien'.  The script was co-written by Damon Lindelof, co-creator of 'Lost', so you know this flick is going to be ridiculous.

'Prometheus' hits theaters in IMAX 3D on June 8th.



Gotta love the *BRAHHHMM* sounds made famous by Hans Zimmer in 'Inception'.

Newsflash: Tarentino's 'Django Unchained' Synopsis

On December 25th, Quentin Tarentino will unleash his new flick upon the masses (see what I did there?).  I'll let the Weinstein Bros. tell you what it's about:

Set in the South two years before the Civil War, "Django Unchained" stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.

Django and Schultz’s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of “Candyland,” an infamous plantation where slaves are groomed by trainer Ace Woody (Kurt Russell) to battle each other for sport. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award®-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie's trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival...

Written and directed by Academy Award®-winner Quentin Tarantino, DJANGO UNCHAINED is produced by Stacey Sher, Pilar Savone and Reginald Hudlin. The executive producers are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, Shannon McIntosh, and James Skotchdopole. DJANGO UNCHAINED will be released in the U.S. on December 25, 2012, and internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Christoph Waltz as a Civil War Mr. Miyagi, Jamie Foxx as a bad-ass-former-slave-bounty-hunter, & Leonardio DiCaprio as a villian?!  DONE.  Wake me for 'The Dark Knight Rises', then wake me for this.

Newsflash: Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah' Has A Release Date

Darren Aronofsky's dream project, 'Noah', has been rumored for years now.  The budget was in the hundreds of millions and no studio would finance the biblical epic... until Aronofsky re-wrote the script and revised the budget.  Rumors were for Liam Neeson to star, but most recently, Russell Crowe has been attached to the project.  Paramount announced the production in October, and now we've got an official release date!

'Noah' will be released on March 28th, 2014.

Darren Aronofsky in a recent statement:

"Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his family's journey.  The imaginations of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. It's my hope that I can present a window into Noah's passion and perseverance for the silver screen."

I know it's a long way off and we still need to survive the Mayan calendar in order to see it, but this announcement has me PUMPED.