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The Eagle: Movie Review
Cedar Rapids: Movie Review
First Photo: The Hobbit Cast Strikes a Pose
Dominic Cooper Joins Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Watch This: X-Men First Class Movie Trailer!!
Ryan Gosling to Star in Logan’s Run Remake
Oscar Cohosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway Featurette
Anthony Mackie Joins Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Amber Heard Up For Red Sonja, Simon West to Direct?
Trailer for Dear Lemon Lima – A Good, Sweet Indie
First Photos: AMC’s ‘The Killing’ TV Series
Video Interview: Director Miguel Arteta talks Cedar Rapids

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 06:00 PM PST

The Eagle Keep Your Form 17 1 11 kc The Eagle: Movie Review

Kevin Macdonald steps into Old World Britain for his latest film The Eagle, which stars Channing Tatum in his first real period piece. Tatum with an accent is a big deal. The actor plays a young Roman general who’s on a quest to restore honor to his family’s name after a horrific event that occurred decades earlier under his father’s leadership.

The Players:

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Screenwriters: Jeremy Brock, Rosemary Sutcliff (book)
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland, Tahar Rahim, Denis O’Hare
Cinematography By: Anthony Dod Mantle
Original Music By: Atli Örvarsson

The Plot:

The film is based on the book The Eagle of the Ninth, which was written by Rosemary Sutcliff and takes us into the dangerous world of second-century Britain. The premise of the film centers on a Roman officer, Marcus Flavius Aquila (Tatum), as he tries to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father's ninth legion in Northern Britain.

The Good:

The Action: Kevin Macdonald did a great job of shooting the action in this film. In a lot of war movies, especially ones with sand and swords, it’s hard to see what’s happening in battle. Everything looks like a big cluster of metal and flesh. In The Eagle, everything is very clear and straight to the point.
Cinematography: This goes along with the direction, but the cinematography was stunning. Not only did the camera get into the nooks and crannies of the fight scenes, but it also highlighted the beautiful landscape of the country side.

The So-So:

Channing Tatum: Not great but not horrible either. Tatum isn’t known for his amazing acting skills but he pulled of a surprisingly mediocre performance, which for him is a step up. Get it, Step Up?

The Bad:

The Accents: In a recent interview, Tatum claimed that Macdonald made a conscious decision to have the Roman soldiers speak with American accents. Tatum initially fought against the idea but in the end, felt that it was the right decision. Unfortunately, I disagree. Romans with American accents is 10 times more annoying than Romans with British accents. During the time that this film takes place the New World hadn’t even been discovered.
Roman Soldiers: Speaking of the soldiers, they were terribly cast. There’s nothing wrong with the actor’s talent but none of them physically looked the part. They were all small and middle aged men. I’m not saying they should look like the cast of 300 but they shouldn’t look like stray cats either.

Overall:

The Eagle isn’t an epic Roman war film and it doesn’t try to be. It has some problems but if you’re into movies that add fantastical elements to historical events, you’ll like it.

Rating: 7/10

The Eagle opens in theaters on February 11th.

Photo Gallery:

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Trailer:

default video player The Eagle: Movie Review

Will you be seeing The Eagle this weekend?

Cedar Rapids: Movie Review

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 05:18 PM PST

Miguel Arteta’s latest film Cedar Rapids takes bits and pieces from his previous projects and rolls them all into one. There are some elements of “The Office” with Ed Helms, a bit of The Good Girl with John C. Reilly, and some awkward and sometimes dark humor like seen in Youth in Revolt. Rapids is set in a small town at a convention and it magnifies the seedy underbelly of the insurance world.

The Players:

Director: Miguel Arteta
Screenwriter: Phil Johnston
Cast: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat
Cinematography By: Chuy Chávez
Original Music By: Christophe Beck

The Plot:

Cedar Rapids takes place in the title city, where insurance agent Tim Lippe goes to participate in an industry convention. While there, he’s given strict instructions on what to do and who to avoid. But he gets distracted by three other agents played by Reilly, Whitlock Jr., and Heche and trouble ensues.

The Good:

Anne Heche: Heche plays the lone female in the group of insurance agents and her character is truly one of the boys. She’s not dainty or demure. When she interacts with the rest of the cast, she’s assertive but doesn’t come across as trashy. She’s a guy’s girl and she kept even the most obnoxious male characters on their toes.
The World of Insurance: Johnston’s take on insurance companies and their conventions is refreshing and different. Everyone knows that insurance agents are competitive but who knew they were so down and dirty with each other?

The So-So:

Tim Lippe: When I first saw Tim the first thought that came to mind was, ‘Stu is that you?’ I’m referring to Helms’ character from The Hangover who shares a lot of the same traits as Tim. There’s even a scene in both films that feature Helms doing the same action, in the same location, but as the different characters. The roles are almost too close for comfort.
John C. Reilly: Let me preface this by saying that I like John C. Reilly. He’s an awesome actor at both comedy and drama, but haven’t we seen him play this character before? Him and Helms suffer from the same homogeneous role that continues to pop up in all their films.

The Bad:

The Tone: This is definitely a comedy but there are some emotional moments as well. I don’t want to spoil anything, but Tim Lippe has some serious abandonment issues.
Underuse of Thomas Lennon: How can you have Thomas Lennon in a film and treat him like a third string character? Granted his role served its purpose to progress the story but he was still greatly underused. They could have given him some better dialogue for the short period of time he was on screen.

Overall:

Cedar Rapids is a fun film that mixes The Hangover with Old School and a pinch of Step Brothers. If that sounds like a winning combination to you, go see it!

Rating: 7.5/10

Cedar Rapids opens in limited release on February 11th.

Photo Gallery:

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Trailer:

default video player Cedar Rapids: Movie Review

Will you be seeing Cedar Rapids this weekend?

First Photo: The Hobbit Cast Strikes a Pose

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 04:52 PM PST

We’ve got some exciting news to report regarding The Hobbit. No, it’s not another casting (that we know of) but it does have to do with the stars of the film. Over the past few months, one actor after another has joined the prequel and now thanks to Stuff.co.nz, we’ve got the first image of the main cast (the dwarves) together for a photo op. Check out the full sized image below…

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The Hobbit will be filled with Lord of the Rings alums like Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, and Cate Blanchett, but we’ve got to show some love to the new guys as well. The cast is lead by Martin Freeman, who takes over the role of Bilbo Baggins, which was previously played by Ian Holm in LOTR.

It’s hard to make out everyone else’s faces but we can clearly see Aidan Turner in the lower left hand corner. His dark, curly hair is a dead give away. His casting is a definite plus for people who are fans of his BBC series “Being Human.”

The production is slated to begin in New Zealand, on March 21st. We can’t wait!

What do you think of the first photo of new The Hobbit cast?

Dominic Cooper Joins Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 03:53 PM PST

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Earlier today we learned that Anthony Mackie would be joining Benjamin Walker in Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter as his trusted companion Will. Now according THR, another actor has joined the film and it’s none other than Dominic Cooper (because apparently he’s in everything)! He’s got a great agent!

The trade claims Cooper will play Henry Sturgess, the role that Joaquin Phoenix was previously offered but has obviously turned down. Sturgess is a fictional character who teaches the 16th president to kill vampires. He once saved Lincoln's life when he battled a vampire as a teenager, and the two became fast friends. Sturgess teaches Lincoln about the history of the creatures , trains him in combat, and sends the president to hunt and kill evil vampires.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a fictionalized creation of the former U.S President which mixes historical events with fantasy. The book was written by Seth Grahame-Smith, who is known for his ability to blend classic figures and properties with old school horror elements. In the book and the film Lincoln is re-imagined as an axe-throwing, highly trained vampire assassin.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is scheduled to hit theaters on June 22, 2012.

What do you think of Cooper as Henry? Can you imagine him and Walker fighting side by side?

Watch This: X-Men First Class Movie Trailer!!

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 02:56 PM PST

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After a long and tedious wait, 20th Century Fox has released the trailer for their comic adaptation, X-Men: First Class. The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who was previously hired to helm X-Men: The Last Stand but had to back out for personal reasons. Five years after that travesty, he’s making it up to us by tackling the X-Men prequel, which focuses on the origins of the superhero team and their school. Check out the trailer…

default video player Watch This: X Men First Class Movie Trailer!!

We like how the beginning of the trailer ties into the original X-Men trilogy by showing footage from Bryan Singer’s first film. Beyond that, we still have concerns regarding the inclusion of mutants such Mystique, Havok, and Azazel in the First Class story. Kevin Bacon looks surprisingly better than we suspected as Sebastian Shaw. He’s not a carbon copy of his comic book counterpart but he makes the role work for him.

It’s great to see the original Blackbird and the early blue and yellow X-Men costumes. It’s good that they left one thing untarnished.

Official Plot Synopsis:

X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

The cast includes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till and Jason Flemyng.

X-Men First Class will open in theaters nationwide on June 3, 2011.

What do you think of the first trailer for X-Men First Class?

Source: Official Facebook Page

Ryan Gosling to Star in Logan’s Run Remake

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 02:32 PM PST

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Do you remember when we told you about the remake of Logan’s Run? The film will be directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and has the potential to star Ryan Gosling. According to Deadline, the Oscar nominated actor might headline the film that previously featured Michael York as the lead in a world where aging past 30 equals death.

Logan's Run centers on a future society that demands the death of everyone upon reaching a certain age. Anyone who veers from that destiny is dubbed a "runner" and is hunted by operatives known as Sandmen. Logan is a Sandman who is forced to go on the run.

The reboot has been in development since the mid-nineties when Warner Bros first acquired the rights to the story. Only in the past few years has it experienced a real surge in development moving from Bryan Singer to Carl Rinsch, eventually to Refn.

Gosling is known for his indie films and this will be the first major tentpole project that he’s headlined. We’re ready to see the actor take on something of this caliber. He’s ridiculously talented and deserves to have his pick of big budget films. The new Logan’s Run could be just want the doctor ordered.

What do you think of Gosling as the lead in the film?

Oscar Cohosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway Featurette

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 01:32 PM PST

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The Academy has just released a little teaser featurette and interview thing for the two co-hosts of this years 83rd Academy Awards, James Franco and Anne Hathaway with the two preparing all of their Oscar promotions. You get to hear them talk about how they got the job, see them mucking around in photos shoots, and overall give us a preview as to what will be a VERY different award ceremony this year than in the past…

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Hathaway definitely looks like she’s aware of what’s going on and working on material, I hope that all those moments of deep thought Franco is taking is to prepare for the big show — one thing is for show, no one knows exactly what this year will be like and specially what Franco will be like/do.

We know Hathaway is charming, can sing and dance (quite often an Oscar prerequisite and she has done it before at the ceremony — expect some dancing!), and is quite easy on the eyes. Franco is kind of that wild card, does he sing? Does he do live performances? Will he get stoned before the show? No one knows, and if there ever were a reason to tune in, I think that might be one of them.

What do you think about this years Oscar hosts? Pure genius or not up to your standards for hosts?

Anthony Mackie Joins Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 01:26 PM PST

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A couple weeks ago it was announced that Benjamin Walker would play the title role in the film adaptation of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. Now we’re hearing that his sidekick and most trusted pal has also been cast, and it’s none other than Anthony Mackie. We guess he’s the go-to guy when it comes to being a friend in high stake situations. Get it “stake?”

According to Deadline, Mackie is in talks to play Lincoln’s best friend Will, who happens to be at the center of the vampire slayings. The part is described as a “good one” that will hopefully add more fuel to the Mackie PR machine. Even though Jeremy Renner got the majority of the shine from The Hurt Locker, we felt that Mackie was sadly overlooked. He’s a talented actor and if he makes the right decisions he can have a great future in this business.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is scheduled to hit theaters on June 22, 2012.

What do you think of Anthony Mackie joining Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?

Amber Heard Up For Red Sonja, Simon West to Direct?

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:39 PM PST

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For those of you who’ve been wondering if the Red Sonja reboot is still alive –yes, yes it is. The last time we checked Rose McGowan was attached to play the red-haired warrior, but she soon dropped out for undisclosed reasons. The project had been in development for years and when she left everyone assumed it was over. According to Empire, Sonja’s still chugging along and producer Avi Lerner has a new actress in his sights, Amber Heard.

Lerner said, “Amber is the new Red Sonja but she doesn’t know it yet!” The story is supposed to center on an innocent teenager who metamorphosizes into an unparalleled warrior. She seeks revenge for the death of her family and soon becomes a champion for Hyrkania against the villainous Kulan Gath.

Heard isn’t in negotiations for the part, but Lerner really wants her to be. Red Sonja is essentially hers for the taking. Besides the actress, director Simon West (Con Air, The Mechanic) is said to be in the running to helm the film. There are a lot of hypotheticals here but no solid talks.

Does anyone out there really want this movie to happen? Or are they beating a dead, disinterested horse?

Who do you want to play Red Sonja?

Trailer for Dear Lemon Lima – A Good, Sweet Indie

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:25 PM PST

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There are a lot of films that come out, some big some small, many that you can easily forget, then there are a few with that certain charm and sense of awareness that just warm your heart, enter Dear Lemon Lima. A number of “smaller” films now-a-days aren’t even given the chance at theaters because they can’t compete with all the remakes, sequels and 3D remakes and sequels. Therefore they may get released in theaters, but you may not be able to find those theaters, or they’re only there for one weekend. Luckily, we now we have VOD and NetFlix and the possibility of just about any film at our fingertips.

Check out the trailer and more about how to find it below…

If there is one film you pay to stream, download, or whatever your preference, make it Dear Lemon Lima. It’s a quirky film about one girl's journey through her first love, first heartbreak and developing her first great friendships — with a number of dark twists and fine performances it’s the best of the “small indies” coming out right now. The film even has 2011 Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award winner Melissa Leo.

It features an ensemble cast of impressive up-and-comers including Meaghan Jette Martin (Mean Girls 2, Camp Rock, Camp Rock 2), Vanessa Marano (Gilmore Girls, Dexter), Elaine Hendrix (Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion), Beth Grant (Little Miss Sunshine) and as previously mentioned Melissa Leo (The Fighter). The film was directed by filmmaker Suzi Yoonessi, and won Outstanding Performance in Narrative Competition at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.

The film is set to be released in limited theaters and on VOD on March 4th, 2011.

Don’t miss it! I recommend staying at home and watching it from your sofa with a hearty beverage in hand.

First Photos: AMC’s ‘The Killing’ TV Series

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:36 AM PST

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The AMC network has another high profile drama on its hands with “The Killing.” The last time we reported on the show was in August when Mireille Enos, who previously played twin sisters Kathy and Jodeen Marquart on “Big Love” was cast. Fast forward six months later and we’ve got some high quality production stills for your viewing pleasure. Check out what “The Killing” has to offer…

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“The Killing” is based on the popular Danish TV series "Forbrydelsen". It centers on"the murder of a young girl and the subsequent police investigation that takes place in Seattle (the show is shot in Vancouver). The show will debut with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, April 3 beginning at 9pm ET/PT. Subsequent episodes will be one-hour long presentations on Sundays at 10pm ET/PT.

The new AMC series was first picked up by the network in January 2010. They ordered a 13 episode first season with Patty Jenkins (Monster) directing the pilot. Other members of the cast include Billy Campbell, Michelle Forbes, Joel Kinnaman, and Brent Sexton.

This show looks like a dressed down, murder-centric version of “Rubicon,” and we all know what happened to “Rubicon.”

What do you think of the first photos from the show? Are you interested?

Source: Collider

Video Interview: Director Miguel Arteta talks Cedar Rapids

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:03 AM PST

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Probably one of the fastest films to be released out of this years Sundance Film Festival is Director Miguel Arterta’s comedy Cedar Rapids starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr. My one biggest problem with this film is that it wasn’t a Sundance film, it was a “movie”, made for watching with your friends at your local theater with a tub of popcorn, kicking up your feet and having a good ol’ time. Now, I’m not saying that in the world of serious, depressing, artistic visions that sometimes it’s not nice to get a brain-break with something like Cedar Rapids, it just wasn’t what one would expect at a festival, it is however a really fun film that is ready and ripe for the viewers picking!

We were lucky enough to sit down with Miguel out at Sundance and talk to him about his film. Sadly they didn’t exactly have private rooms for their interviewees so the interview is a touch noisy and he does speak rather softy. That being said, he was still an interesting interview and had some great advice for both new and weathered filmmakers who need to find their peace with filmmaking.

As he says below, in making Cedar Rapids he was in a happier place than some of his previous work and it’s well reflected in the fun times that we see in the film. The best of which is Robot Reilly (don’t worry it’s not a spoiler, but you’ll get it soon enough).

Check out our interview with Miguel below…

Great advice huh? He’s a real veteran of the Sundance world and hopefully people will be able to find the love and joy in Cedar Rapids that he attempted to put in it. It’s really a fun film, well acted, sweet story, surprising moments, not to be missed.

Check out Cedar Rapids in theaters February 11th.

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Jumat, 11 Februari 2011