I caught this trailer for a small film staring Brian Cox & Paul Dano online, and it looks like a really interesting little tale.

I like how it looks like the “pay it forward” model of kindness seems to get challenged here. The sick old man wants to carry on a legacy and picks a depressed man he meets in the hospital to take a chance on. But when that guy shows a kindness to a girl he is interested in, he is challenged on it.

Looks to be ripe with character interaction and might be worth a watch. I was also interested to see that this film is going to be getting a Video on Demand, Amazon, XBox and PS3 on April 3rd. But then see a theatrical release on April 30th?

I will try to catch this when I can as it really looks like a great character film.

Collider caught up with actor John Cho and quizzed him about the proposed Very Harold & Kumar Christmas film, as well as a tiny bit of Star Trek. They have bullet pointed the details for us A.D.D. inclined:

Harold and Kumar News
* looks like it is happening
* script has been turned in
* we catch up a little bit later in Harold and Kumar’s lives
* takes place over the holiday season
* this could be a legit holiday movie
* the intent is to honor the holiday traditional style of movies
* doesn’t know if there is an issue with Kal Penn
* studio tells him they’re moving forward on it
* no director yet
* confirms theatrical release
* thinks the movie is still on track to come out this Christmas
* Neil Patrick Harris is supposed to be in it
* Says they are not living together anymore…film jumps forward a few years
* Plan is to film the movie during his hiatus – thinks filming in June
* meeting with directors right now
* Still figuring out if there are complications with Kal’s schedule

Star Trek sequel update

* Heard they are still working on the script
* Hasn’t heard anything about the villain yet
* Has he tried to pitch anything for Sulu
* We talk about the lens flares and what did he think about them

I like how they have nothing more on Star Trek to talk to him about so they discuss the Lens Flares! I loved Star Trek, but I could do without all those obnoxious glares.

I am looking forward to a Harold & Kumar film, but I worry that NPH who has them to thank in part to his more recent rise to popularity (That NPH, He’s so hot right now) will outshine them in their own film.

Armond White has made a strong name for himself as the critic without a spine. When a film gets a nearly perfect positive review from professional critics, Armond can be sure to stand out in the crowd saying he hated it. And when a film gets panned, Armond is cheering it on. Just to stand out.

Well he was left standing out on the sidewalk when Greenburg was opened up for the press as the publicist curbed him, saying he was not welcome to come review the film because she was certain he woudln’t be fair to it, citing past reviews where Armond White has critiqued the director instead of his work in reviews.

Hollywood News says:

Leslee Dart, the film’s publicist, said she made the decision to keep White from the early screening with “100 percent” support from Focus Features, which is releasing the movie.

She said White’s previous writings and statements prove that the reviewer crossed a line, letting his personal animosity for Baumbach cloud his journalistic responsibility to judge Baumbach’s work fairly.

I think that is perfectly acceptable for her to turf this guy. With many qualified critics already being exposed to this film, I am sure she accepts that the film will get reviewed fairly. If they all hate it, that’s the chance you take giving advanced reviews. But you have to put yourself out there. Allowing a review to a “critic” who is already proven to have no integrity doesn’t serve their film at all.

White’s public reaction to this ban was a statement that just proves their decision was right, as he admits he is already predisposed to give a negative review before even seeing the film. He tries to direct the comment to address his personal feelings on the director, but then hypocritically saying its not the director he dislikes, it is his films!

“I have no more against Noah Baumbach than I do against Michael Mann,” White told HollywoodNews.com. “I never met either of them. It’s not personal. I just don’t like their movies.”

Films need to be critiqued on one film to the next and one actor to the next.

There are actors or directors that I will admit lessen my enthusiasm for a film, but I will still see that film and try to keep an open mind about the movie as it stands on its own. I generally don’t like Tarantino films, but there are some he has made that I love (Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) so the ones he made that I DON’T like won’t change how I feel about those films. I really don’t like the recent trend of spoof films (which seem to thankfully be on a decline) but I still see many of them hoping one will stand out and offer some good clever gags.

After this “critic” constantly gets most of his attention for his complete lack of integrity I wonder just how he stays employed. Perhaps people read his reviews like they might read a gossip tabloid. “Lets see what unbelievable bullshit they will try to pass off as news today?”

I only ever hear his name when he is being an ass. I wonder if that is a measuring stick as to his popularity?

Leonardo Da Vinci is an inspiration to me. He did not rest on one aspect of creativity as it seemed to flow from his very being, challenging physics, math, engineering and of course his artistic endeavors.

But the Warners are drawing their attention to the one aspect no one suspects him of, and making him into a renaissance man of action and supernatural excitement! (that exclamation point is pretty sarcastic)

THR reveals:

The studio has picked up a treatment titled “Leonardo da Vinci and the Soldiers of Forever” from producer Adrian Askarieh, who is teaming with Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Doug Davison.

Da Vinci is best known as the painter behind “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” though he also was an inventor, engineer, architect, mathematician among many other occupations. The project re-imagines Da Vinci as a member of a secret society who falls headlong into a supernatural adventure that pits the man against Biblical demons in a story involving secret codes, lost civilizations, hidden fortresses and fallen angels. Think “National Treasure” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” by way of “Clash of the Titans.”

Yup. Because this is the first thing I think of when I pay observance to the accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci.

And secret codes? Like… the Da Vinci code? Who would have thought of that??

Da Vinci was the subject of my Art History study as I was drawn to him for being more than just a painter but as a visionary, but there is a LOT of artistic liberty taken to treat the historical figure as an action hero.

But why the hell not. They can make Vampires glitter, make Batman look plausible, and make a scifi western space opera, so who’s to say that this will suck just because it isn’t what we expect?

I am trying to remain positive here, but I hope it doesn’t slap me in the face!

Steve Martin might be looking at a project to appoligize for his lackluster appearance at the Oscars, by pursuing a role in a birdwatching comedy with Owen Wilson and Jack Black called The Big Year.

MovieWeb says:

If Martin signs on, he will complete the lead trio, which also includes Owen Wilson and Jack Black. The story, based off the book “The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession,” by Mark Obmascik, which centers on three avid bird-watchers who keep trying to one-up each other in a competition to see who can spot the rarest birds in North America.

I could see Martin as an old retiree, obsessed with bird watching and trying to keep up with these younger hobbyists.

Jack Black wore thin on me a while ago, and I was hoping to see more from Martin at the Oscars, and Owen Wilson just hasn’t tickled me since Zoolander.

Maybe this particular blend will allow them to play off each other and refresh my view of these funnymen who just haven’t got me chuckling lately.

I can hope.

Greed is good, but changing the release date less than a month before a film comes out is bad.

And that is exactly what is happening to the much anticipated sequel to Wall Street, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps.

Empire Reports:

Despite the fact that the talent, which includes Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan and Josh Brolin have been promoting the movie, it’s been decided that the move to an autumn release is a smarter move than trying to find a spot in the crowded summer months.

I was looking forward to hitting this up next month, so I am a little disappointed that I will have to use this as a chaser for those Summer Blockbusters and fan conventions the summer holds.

Why is it being moved? No one is saying, though there is speculation that if it may be included in the Cannes Film Festival lineup. It would then be released there after its theatrical debut. Which wouldn’t make much sense for the film festival known for its premiers. So moving it to a safer fall release will give it a chance to shine at Cannes first.

Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood has my attention for only two reasons. Cate Blanchet and Russell Crowe.

But yet another Robin Hood Trailer has hit the net attempting to sway my opinion.

I can’t help but draw some comparisons to Gladiator after seeing this trailer.

The plot has been streamlined to a more traditional tale, yet expanded into an epic war to overthrow an unjust King. It really does look amazing, but so did Gladiator.

I hope that’s just the trailer.

While I am getting emails telling me Nolan is officially directing and writing Superman, I have to tell you that just isn’t true. At least not yet. It seems that his partner David Goyer who is writing Batman 3 has a pitch in mind for the Man of Steel and it has Nolan excited, but he isn’t signed on to direct or help Goyer write.
He is still just being considered the Godfather to Kal-El, offering a watchful eye over the property development. However he did speak on the subject and talked about Batman 3 to the LA Times

Worst Previews quotes:

Apparently Nolan and writer David Goyer were working on ideas for “Batman 3″ when “Superman” discussions started. “He basically told me, ‘I have this thought about how you would approach Superman,’” Nolan recalled. “I immediately got it, loved it and thought: That is a way of approaching the story I’ve never seen before that makes it incredibly exciting. I wanted to get [wife Emma Thomas] and I involved in shepherding the project right away and getting it to the studio and getting it going in an exciting way.”

Goyer and brother Jonathan Nolan are now finishing up the script for “Batman 3,” which will be the last installment in the franchise. “Without getting into specifics, the key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story,” Nolan said. “And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story.”

Nolan backing both Superman and moving ahead with Batman3 is exciting news indeed.

I have full trust in Nolan that he will handle Superman with the most delicate of care, and while he is only producing/advising, his input and vision will certainly steer the film. But it is amusing to think that if anyone OTHER than Nolan said “a way of approaching the story I’ve never seen before” the fanboys would be in panic mode already wondering if they were going to “rape their childhood!”

And his approach to Batman 3 sounds kind of final making me wonder if he is going to end his run with the cape and cowl with this third film. He says this will “finish our story” which could easily mean this shaping of the hero he becomes. He doesn’t want to expand the universe of Batman, but perhaps his vision originally extended just to get Bats to a certain point in his career and then he would be done with the story.

A new extended TV Spot for Greenberg has come online and it gives us a better peek into this dark comedy drama about a man with no direction.

I am really looking forward to seeing Greenberg, as for Stiller it will be his first real dramatic role that still gives him a chance to be funny in a completely different way than we are used to seeing him. Check it out:

This looks like a solid quirky film, and I am loving how its shaping up.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine had a lot of bad to it, but it had its good points too. I was split down the middle while most people dwell on the bad. One of those good things was Victor Creed played by Liev Schreiber. He was just awesome in the role. I had NO complaints at all about him as it redeemed the error made with that meatsicle from the first X-Men film that reduced the brilliance of Sabertooth to a hulking grunting mindless pet.

Well recently Liev commented that Hugh has read the first draft of the Wolverine sequel and it is still unclear if Creed will be making an appearance. Liev hopes so.

io9.com says:

At a press conference for Repo Men in New York, Schreiber had the following to say about Wolverine’s Japan odyssey.

I just had dinner with [Hugh Jackman] last night and Hugh read the first draft of the script and I was really excited about it. It’s still not clear whether or not Victor will be present in the Japan storyline. In the Japan storyline as I remember it from the Wolverine comics, Victor wasn’t there. So I don’t know, of course I’ve got my fingers crossed because I love the character so much, to have the chance to do it again would be a lot of fun, but I’m not sure.

I am conflicted about this. I really loved Schreiber’s portrayal of Creed, and I would LOVE to see him return to the role, but at the same time with Wolverine 2 following Logan’s time in Japan I don’t know if I want Sabertooth involved.

I would really be looking forward to Silver Samurai (you know they have to) and the Hand.

Dammit! I want Sabertooth, but not yet.

While I tend to agree that there is a special hell reserved for child molesters and people who talk during the movie, there is just a line that needs to be drawn here.

A disgruntled film patron who complained about a woman talking on her cell phone during the film was stabbed for turning in the offender.

/Film shares:

According to the LATimes, a man was recently watching Shutter Island at the Cinemark 22 in Lancaster, when he complained about a woman talking on a cell phone during the film. The woman left with two men. The two men returned and one of them stabbed the complainer in the throat with a meat thermometer.

“It was a vicious and cowardly attack,” said the LA County Sheriff.

I agree that this is the most cowardly off acts. Bad enough that you have to KNOW you are in the wrong to be talking during a film. Its just common sense.

Any idiot would know that talking during a movie – especially ones that repeatedly tell you to turn off your phones out of courtesy of other patrons – is just plain ignorant. Even if you don’t care what other people think, you still have to recognize that what you are doing is just rude.

But to take it THIS far? Sorry, there is no excuse for that.

They were ignorant to be disruptive to begin with, and even MORE ignorant to premeditate a retaliatory action this severe over it. I mean, who carries a MEAT THERMOMETER with them??

Much like the man that was shot for talking during the film, I would wager these people were not right in the head to begin with.

Sad that this patron, who is standing up for common courtesy was treated this way.
(Also ironic that this occurred during a film about mental disorders!
And I liked the picture /Film used with Leo looking behind him so offended like… had to use it)

Seems the Wachowskis have been busy little bees with a new future war film they are working on. But no one knew it was happening until Arianna Huffington let spill that she was involved.

People might have thought she made it up, but she has pictures, and Gov Ventura confirms that he too was involved.

/Film says:

Arianna Huffington (co-founder of the liberal news website The Huffington Post) published a few tweets claiming that she was shooting a part in a secret Wachowskis Brothers film, a movie about the Iraq War, from the perspective of the future. We wouldn’t have believed it but Huffington posted photos from the set, one of which features Any Wachowski and Wachowski brother turned sister Lana Wachowski.

Appearing on Tuesday’s episode of the Howard Stern Show on Sirius/XM Satellite radio, the professional wrestler turned actor turned governor Jesse Ventura dropped word that he just got done filming a movie for the Wachowskis. When asked if he missed acting and would ever consider returning to the big screen, Ventura dropped the bomb shell:

“I just did one with the Wachowski brothers…”

So the Wachowskis have been working in relative quiet to make another movie. From what Ventura says, there doesn’t appear to be a script for it, and that the whole thing was being done on improv.

So Arianna Huffington and Jesse Ventura in a future war political short, or is a feature film? We don’t know.

How anything gets done in secret in Hollywood is beyond me with this internet age.

Corey Haim was half of the 80s hearthrob sensation team of Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. They did a number of films together, all which are instant 80s pop culture classics. But none were more popular than The Lost Boys.

Today, it was announced that Haim was found dead, likely the result of an overdose.

Coming Soon shares:

Corey Haim, the teen idol best known for his role opposite Corey Feldman in the ’80s vampire flick The Lost Boys, was found dead of an overdose this morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, who were called to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank, California to investigate. Haim was just 38 years old.

This is just terrible news. I was a huge Corey’s follower in the 80s.

After seeing the reality show The Two Corey’s I was not only surprised to see how Feldman landed such a superhottie, but also a little saddened that Corey Haim was on such a distructive path. He just couldn’t seem to keep it together and had no foreseeable future.

Well they set a plan in motion and it looked like Haim was about to see a mini resurgence in popularity with cameos in Crank 2 and possibly facing off against the Frog Brothers in another Lost Boys sequel. He even took a full page ad in an industry paper. Hoping to reinvigorate his career.

Sad that won’t happen.

I’m going to to watch Prayer of the Rollerboys in tribute to this troubled soul who lost his way.

Chris Evans will lend his charming good looks in a romantic comedy about an easy slut who gets it on with 20 different guys. (If a guy gets 20 knotches, he is a stud – a girl? Not so much) Her mission is to find “The One” from that list.

That girl? Anna Faris.

Dark Horizons says:

Based on Karyn Bosnak’s book “20 Times a Lady,” the story follows a woman (Faris) who thought she’d find her perfect guy by the time she’d slept with a maximum of twenty men.

Waking up after a drunken night in her boss’s bed, she realizes she’s reached that limit but hasn’t achieved it. Rather than increasing the number or staying celibate, she tracks down all her ex-partners in an attempt to make things work with one of them.

I really like Anna Faris, but I tend to like her when she is being super ditsy and scantily clad. Who knows what she is going to be like in this, but I am at least a little curious.

Sounds like Juno will be replaced with … Juno? Lemee ’splain. No, s’too much. I sum up.

Ellen Page (known among others for her role in Juno) was originally cast opposite Oliva Thirlby in a lesbian werewolf drama. And now Page has dropped out of the film and will be replaced by a girl named Juno. See what I did now? This is why I was cool in grade 4.

Dark Horizons

Juno Temple (“Year One,” “Wild Child”) has joined Bradley Rust Gray’s indie lycan lesbian drama “Jack & Diane” says Bloody Disgusting.

The story follows two teenage girls in New York City – the charmingly innocent Diane (Temple) whose affection manages to pierce the heart of the tough and closed off Jack (Olivia Thirlby).

I don’t know about you, but the idea of the seraph like Juno Temple being all romantic with Olivia Thirlby is painting a picture in my head.

I am wondering how this will be accepted. Superfluous eyecandy sensationalism? Or a serious sexually driven drama set in a fantasy world of shapeshifting creatures?

Bennet Miller’s Moneyball was starting to shape up into a light comedy revolving around the Oakland A’s ball club and stats man Paul DePodesta with Demitri Martin and Brad Pitt to star.

Until Demitri dropped out and they picked Jonah Hill to replace him. What?

JoBlo shares:

Demetri Martin has dropped out of director Bennett Miller’s MONEYBALL. Replacing the beanpole comedian will be rotund funny guy Jonah Hill.

Hill would be stepping into the role of Paul DePodesta – an assistant to Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (to be played by Brad Pitt) who together implemented the analytical principles of “sabermetrics” that helped the A’s build a competitive team on the cheap.

Maybe its just my constant distaste for Jonah Hill (who has annoyed me in everything after Superbad) or maybe its that they are replacing Dimitri Martin (who although funny isn’t an actor) who looked more like DePodesta.

DePodesta was a numbers man and used statistics to create a ball team with viable odds of survival without breaking the bank. I can’t see Hill in any intellectual roles at all.

Ever.

After more than a week since the self imposed Captain America casting deadline has passed, you would think I would be upset that they haven’t announced their star yet. But considering the shortlist offered, I just wasn’t comfortable with any one of them leading The Avengers.

Well the rumour mill is churning again and it appears that Dane Cook actually had an audition for the role, and he hasn’t been told no yet.

Worst Previews shares:

He just updated his Twitter account with the following message: “I’m minus 7% body fat now, bones replaced w/lightweight scandium alloy! Had to get shredded (pictured) for Captain America audition and standup tour.”

And it doesn’t sound like he’s joking, because when a fan asked if he is really going to audition, Cook replied: “I did already. They might be going young. I say go RDJr route – give me the part!”

Twitter is so educational.

I am not at all comfortable with Dane Cook in the role, however he is physically in shape, and if for some reason they DO go with this guy I will have to trust that they see something I don’t.

But just as he says, it might have more to do with them wanting a younger actor in the role (The original comic Steve Rogers storyline had him at enlistment age before being rejected) which would rule him out no matter how good they think he is.

But imagine if he got the role and was good at it? That sure would be a surprise for me!

Sometimes you just need a good comedy that plays on sexual stereotypes and exploits it for laughs.

So why haven’t cougars been shown the love? Ever since Stiffler’s mom played MrsRobinson, I have been waiting for an inapporpriate comedy about the sexdrive of an over 40 hot mamma.

When Spence and Hogan graduate from college, life looks bleak. They are forced to work for hideous divorce lawyers that torture them constantly. Spence has the “girlfriend from hell” and Hogan just wants to start his life. As luck would have it, the guys are presented with an unusual opportunity, they open a club of young men devoted to pleasuring sexy, older woman known as “Cougars”. It is the Cougar Club that teaches the friends’ life’s lessons of love, respect and friendship.

Looks like some light brainless fun. Carrie Fisher is shattering my inner 14 year old’s Slave Leia fantasies, but she’s funny, so that’s cool.

Men in Black is a fun set of films that had a huge franchise potential which raked in massive cash for the studio. But after its 2002 sequel, they just didn’t bother to make another.

Well 8 years later we catch wind that there WILL be another Men in Black but it wont star Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. So casting is opening up and the rumour wheel is already turning with names like Josh Brolin and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Bloody Disgusting shares:

Columbia Pictures is officially having conversations regarding their third entry in the Men in Black franchise as we’re being told by industry insiders that in addition to Jonah Hex cowboy Josh Brolin likely (still unconfirmed) to star, they’ve shown strong interest in both Sacha Baron Cohen (Sweeney Todd, Bruno) and Jemaine Clement (“The Flight of the Conchords”) for a character named “Yaz” (a new agent?). Neither are locked, this should be taken strictly as rumor for now

Now before I get a pile of emails and comments from wannabe actors without agents or ambitious nobodies… we are NOT the casting agency associated with this film. (Seriously, we get emails all the time from people who obviously didn’t read the article saying “Put me in UR Movie! I am perfect for the role” like I can do anything about it …)

Now that the public service announcement is out of the way, I really like the Men in Black series, and I think it would be great to focus on some of the other agents. I mean, there are 24 other letters in the alphabet, so why should agent M and J get all the attention?

Keep the charm and move forward. No need for Smith and Jones. I am not sure about Cohen as an agent, but he does odd well enough that he would make a great alien of some sort.

The first film grossed nearly $600m with an impressive $440m from the sequel. According to “the rules” there NEEDS to be another, but they didn’t. Probably because Will Smith costs too much. They can do this without him and its been a while.

Lets get some new Men in Black.

Welcome to this week’s DVD and Blu Release Report for Tuesday March 9th, 2010!

Each week I will feature some of the biggest titles making their way to my bookshelf and rental piles. I try not to buy too many movies, just like Kevin Smith tries not to do weed. So here are my picks this week as well as which ones will get rented, and which ones will dent my wallet right out of the gate.

Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day The MacManus brothers (Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery) have been in deep hiding with their father, Il Duce (Billy Connolly), in the quiet valleys of Ireland, far removed from their former vigilante lives. When word comes that a beloved priest has been killed by sinister forces from deep within the mob, the brothers return to Boston to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those responsible. Looked like some good old fashioned over the top brutal violent action, but I never got around to it. Maybe a rental.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is a high-school girl with nothing working in her favor. She is pregnant with her father’s child—for the second time. She can’t read or write, and her schoolmates tease her for being fat. Her home life is a horror, ruled by a mother (Mo’Nique) who keeps her imprisoned both emotionally and physically. Precious’s instincts tell her one thing: if she’s ever going to break from the chains of ignorance, she will have to dig deeply into her own resources. Despite all the buzz, this just didn’t make me want to watch it at all.

Planet 51 Sixteen-year-old Lem (Justin Long) lives on Planet 51, a white picket-fenced world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America. He is happy in his safe, predictable world and spends his time daydreaming about running the local planetarium and dating the girl next door, Neera (Jessica Biel). One day out of the blue and millions of miles from his own planet, astronaut Captain Charles ‘Chuck’ Baker (Dwayne Johnson) lands his spaceship in Neera’s backyard, right in the middle of a family barbecue! I meant to catch this, but it came and went without a mention. Likely a rental.

Old Dogs Two best friends—one unlucky-in-love divorcé (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta)—have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kidsavvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life. This looks like they were trying to recreate the charm of Wild Hogs and it just didn’t pan out. Going to rent it anyways to see if thats true.

Up in the Air Ryan has long been contented with his unencumbered lifestyle lived out across America in airports, hotels and rental cars. He can carry all he needs in one wheel-away case; he’s a pampered, elite member of every travel loyalty program in existence; and he’s close to attaining his lifetime goal of 10 million frequent flier miles—and yet… Ryan has nothing real to hold onto. When he falls for a simpatico fellow traveler (Vera Farmiga), Ryan’s boss (Jason Bateman), inspired by a young, upstart efficiency expert (Anna Kendrick), threatens to permanently call him in from the road. Faced with the prospect, at once terrifying and exhilarating, of being grounded, Ryan begins to contemplate what it might actually mean to have a home. Another I never got around to. This will get rented, but Kendrick is just so damned adorable it might get bought if I like it.

Looks like a lot of Renting this week, but nothing worthy of the library…yet.

In what looks like another spinoff site of Flynn Lives the forced viral marketing website for Tron Legacy, it would seem that we do not have to wait the week out to get to see the Tron Legacy Trailer Online.

Cleverly this little site has been set up to make it look like they have hacked Encon to deliver this ahead of schedule. Check it out:

I am loving the feel of this film.

The Oscars last night were not nearly as exciting as I would have hoped. I spent it online Ustreaming the event and hanging out with the International Friends in a live show. I might do that again sometime.

Our hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were really only involved at the very beginning after an awesome Neil Patrick Harris musical number (I vote for Neil to host next year’s Oscars!!) and after that they did the standard “Oh look its (fill in celebrity’s name)” and make a funny shot at them. But they really felt like they were reading and were not able to just be themselves. I was really disappointed with them as a whole, even if they had a few good jokes.

I wasn’t disappointed by any of the winners, but most of them were to be expected. I was glad that Hurt Locker won Best Director and Best Picture, and Bigalow’s speech was emotional and genuine. I also loved Sandra Bullock’s speech. She’s funny, poised and classy. And she called Meryl Streep her lover.

Here’s the full list:

Best Picture

*The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro

Actor in a Leading Role

* Jeff Bridges
Crazy Heart

Actor in a Supporting Role

*Christoph Waltz
Inglourious Basterds

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock
The Blind Side

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Mo’Nique
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

Animated Feature Film

* Up
Pete Docter

Art Direction

*Avatar
Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (Art Direction); Kim Sinclair (Set Decoration)

Cinematography

*Avatar
Mauro Fiore

Costume Design

*The Young Victoria
Sandy Powell

Directing

*The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow

Documentary Feature

*The Cove
Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens

Documentary Short

*Music by Prudence
Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burket

Film Editing

*The Hurt Locker
Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Foreign Language Film

*The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)
Argentina
Directed by Juan José Campanella

Makeup

*Star Trek
Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Music (Original Score)

*Up
Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

* Crazy Heart

“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)”
Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)

*Logorama

Short Film (Live Action)

*The New Tenants
Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

*The Hurt Locker
Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing

*The Hurt Locker
Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

Visual Effects

*Avatar
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

*Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Writing (Original Screenplay)

*The Hurt Locker
Written by Mark Boal

Any upsets for you?

As regular readers here will know, there is a Broken Lizard film called the Slammin Salmon that I have been dying to see since I first heard of it. And now the film is FINALLY getting a release on DVD and Blu Ray on April 13th!

I was a little surprised not to see Michael Clark Duncan on the cover as he was one of the primary reasons I wanted to see this. Well that and Cobie Smulders – Robin Scherbatsky on How I Met Your Mother. But still excited its finally coming out.

In the latest comedy from Broken Lizard, “Slammin’” Cleon Salmon (Duncan) is a terrifying bull of a man, who uses fear to rule over his misfit wait staff – the Broken Lizard troupe, as well as Cobie Smulders and April Bowlby. On this particular night, he takes his bullying skills to a new level. In an effort to pay off a gambling debt to the Japanese Yakuza, Salmon sets up a contest to “inspire” his wait staff to sell more food than they ever have before: the top selling server wins $10,000 while the waiter in last place gets served with a broken rib sandwich – courtesy of the Champ himself.

Spurred on by greed and panic, the staff resorts to backstabbing, bribery and indecent proposals in an attempt to up-sell their patrons while simultaneously sabotaging their co-workers. As the hours pass, the dining room action becomes more frenzied as the contest escalates into a brawl for first place in order to win the money.

And check out the Trailer.

I can’t wait to see this!!

At the boxoffice this weekend, Alice clearly dominated the pack with an impressive $116m opening, and while I have heard some kneejerk reactions that it is on its way to beating Avatar, I think thats a little presumptuous.

I didnt get around to seeing Brooklyn’s Finest, but happy to see that it settled in as the second place hit just edging out Shutter Island in its third week. I am hearing mixed reviews.

Boxoffice Mojo reports:

Opening Weekend March 5-7th
Alice in Wonderland $116,300,000 Opening
Brooklyn’s Finest $13,500,000 Opening
Shutter Island $13,300,000 3 wks
Cop Out $9,145,000 2 wks
Avatar $7,700,000 12 wks

Cop Out can brag that it beat Avatar but that encapsulated statement only holds true because Avatar is on its 3rd month in the Top 5.

What did you see this weekend?

After last night’s Oscars, instead of rubbing elbows with the overdressed elite, Jon Favreau was at home with an itchy trigger finger waiting to Tweet to all his followers that the Iron Man 2 Trailer was live on Jimmy Kimmel, and subsequently spammed all over the internet.

Check it out:

This is the commercial they originally were going to air during the Superbowl but decided to spare some change and let it run during Kimmel’s show instead.

I love it, and I can’t wait to see this. Favs said in a tweet yesterday that it was going to have a scene at the end that was a tribute to the comics, which I hoped was going to be a Demon in the Bottle hint, but instead we get to see the very cool portable briefcase suit in chrome and red.

And the Attack of the Iron Men scene looks great too.

It all looks good.

Tonight I am going to try something new just to see how well it goes.

I am going to do a live stream and chat of me watching the Oscars. Now this won’t be all that fascinating as it will mostly just be my ugly mug staring at the screen, but it will have a chat feature as well for people registered at UStream so that I can interact directly with chatters.

So join me over at Ustream to check out this new feature and join in The Movie Blog chat window and let me know if its something you want to see more of.

See you there starting at 8pm EST!

Tonight is the Oscars, the 82nd Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin tag teaming on the hosting duties! I love both of these guys so I hope they do a great job hosting.

Tonight I will be hosting my own “Oscar Party” online with a post that I will be updating as it goes in mini Audio Editions.
The Official Oscar list: with my guesses on who I think will win in Bold (not who I would pick, just guessing to see if rumour, public trends and comments hold true.

Actor in a Leading Role

* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Nominees to be determined
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)

* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film

* “Ajami” Israel
* “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
* “The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
* “Un Prophète” France
* “The White Ribbon” Germany

Makeup

* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)

* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Best Picture

* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
* “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Short Film (Animated)

* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects

* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

The biggest debate will be if Avatar will take best Picture, and all other activity will be overshadowed by the battle of the Ex’s between Katherine Bigalow and her exhusband James Cameron up for the same Oscar and their respective films facing off in a number of other categories too.

See you at the Oscars!

Jimmy Kimmel will have the full Iron Man 2 Trailer Sunday night after the Oscars on his show, and Jon Favreau has been giving hints via his His Twitter with details like online availability (right after it airs on TV) as well as a hint at the closing scene in the trailer:

The #IronMan2 trailer ends with a new take on an old classic from the books.

Now I have always thought the Demon in a Bottle story is too good not to use, so I wonder if they will be using this image somewhere in the movie?

That is my guess when he says “new take on an old classic from the books”.

We have already been told Demon is waiting (despite that storyline being integral to the War Machine character origins) so its possible if they DO put that scene in the trailer, it might be from near the end of the movie leading off into a possible Iron Man 3 story, or driving the drinking problem as a slow burn that will be hinted through The Avengers and climaxing in Iron Man 3.

But all this speculating will have to wait to see what iconic scene they are paying homage to in the trailer.

Remember last week when they started this big countdown to the Tron Legacy Trailer being released today. Well today is here, and no damned trailer!

Well they were not really lying, the trailer is being released today. IN THEATERS. Here is an image to tide you over. It’s like offering you a free meal and handing you a photo of it.

So this morning when I was watching Alice in Wonderland in 3D, I was treated to the Trailer that isn’t online today. The nice treat was that during the regular Trailer segment they give you the “Put on your 3D Glasses Now” screen and then showed us 2 more trailers.

So I got to see the Tron Legacy Trailer in 3D. As well as How to Train your Dragon, that looked cute.

It’s pretty cool and shows a lot of updated images from “inside” but mostly catches us up with Sam Flynn being explained that his father disappeared shortly after making an announcement that he was going to change the world. He gets a tip that a phone call was made from his father’s abandoned arcade, where the phone has been disconnected for the last 20 years. Sam investigates and is sucked into Tron’s world.

Sexy girl in dayglow accented bodysuit, lightcycles and some really neat Disc fighting scenes and thats it. Enough to get my wanting more.

But no trailer to share today. You know that’s going to get bootlegged before the weekend is over. I don’t know why they think they can make us wait another week before we get a peek.

With the Oscars coming this weekend, everyone is looking to see who will be honoured at the industry’s most glamourous event! Every category has its short list and betting and discussion is taking place over each and every one of them.

There are some categories I just don’t care about, but even those have value. Everyone should be resepected for their contribution to films.

But some categories should be added as time goes on. As animated features were taken more seriously, a category was added to honour them. So why not other categories? Stan Lee suggests the Best Cameo Artist category!

But in all seriousness, I think there should be a Best Trailer Category as well. These are the snippets of the film carefully selected and edited in the hopes of making you want to rush out to the theater! This is truly a difficult task!

I have seen trailers and not cared, then later picked up the movie and loved it. (Fountain, Emperor’s New Groove) … those guys FAILED to make a good trailer that drew me into seeing the movie. I had to discover it by accident! And other times I have seen a trailer that makes a movie look awesome (The Musketeer looked great) and then the movie sucked ass. THAT GUY deserves an Oscar. He took what he had and spun golden beer flavoured nipples!

Any categories you think should be added?

Zak Snyder can do anything. That guy has the midas touch! I mean, he could do a CG film about creepy ass looking owls facing their darkest days who are seeking out some legendary clan of armor wearing warrior owls, and it would look spectacular!

Oh wait…

Is it just me or does this look rediculous? They could have done the same thing with just about any other animal and it might not feel so weird, but these owls just don’t look like characters I can feel some connection to. Its just creepy odd.

I know Snyder’s stuff is all stylized and I look forward to seeing what he has up his sleeve (after 300 he has his own big shoes to fill) but this is a step back. This looks awkward.

The Hurt Locker is carrying a lot of the spotlight lately, and as with any success you will find someone clinging to your coat tails trying to get a piece of it too.

Seems that Sgt Jeffery Sarver, a bomb squad tech who participated in research Mark Boal used while writing an article, says that the character portrayed in Hurt Locker is HIM and he was never compensated for his story.

Worst Previews shares:

Sarver alleges that virtually all of the situations portrayed in the film were occurrences involving him that were observed and documented by Mark Boal, who followed Saver around for 30 days back in 2004 in order to write a Playboy article. Boal then used that article as a jumping-off point for the film’s screenplay.

Boal says that the charges are baseless. “I think Sarver is a brave soldier and a good guy,” he said. “Like a lot of soldiers, he identifies with the film, but the character I wrote is fictional. The film is a work of fiction inspired by many people’s stories. I talked to easily over 100 soldiers during my research.”

When you subject yourself to a researcher who you KNOW is there to study you (and peers) for a role, can you really be surprised if something you said, how you acted or even phrases you coin get used? Its not like this guy posed as a soldier and secretively took notes observing their roles. They knew why he was there. He knew he would be quoted for the article (which later became the basis for the screenplay)

Sarver claims to have coined the phrase Hurt Locker, and wants credit for that too. But when slang gets used that is picked up during research, should they get paid for it? This just smells of a money grab to me. Hurt Locker is getting a LOT of attention right now and it can be hurt by negative publicity so this guy suddenly says the film is almost entirely a film about him, not based on people like him. But actually him.

I don’t see much coming of this. Just a desperate ploy for a guy to benefit financially from the film’s success. If the film wasn’t getting this attention, do you honestly think this guy would have come forward about it?

There is a little film called Iron Cross, which was hoping to generate some Oscar buzz on a $400,000 “For Your Consideration” ad campaign in Variety Magazine, which the paper has been running non-stop since November all the way up until the end of the voting season at the end of January.

However when a negative review for Iron Cross was published online at Variety, the director Joshua Newton (who paid for this expensive ad) nagged them to take it down.

In Contention shares:

Must be good, right? Well, Variety’s own critic Robert Koehler didn’t think so in his damning review of the film, which he denounced as “preposterous” and “hackneyed,” among other choice adjectives. A slightly embarrassing result for a film the paper had previously boosted, but as Gawker’s John Cook reports, Variety solved the problem quite easily — by removing Koehler’s review from their website altogether, after “Iron Cross”’s producers complained.

The moral of the story appears to be that $400,000, plus a little nagging, can buy you a clean critical slate from one of the industry’s foremost tastemakers..

So this is Variety’s continued stance of integrity? Maybe no one will notice this one little review. I mean who reads their website anyways??

Well it was noticed and this subtle support by omission with all their wisdom, Variety bent to the pleas of their advertisers removing editorial to appease their paid adspace.

I find it appalling that Variety removed the offending review because the producers were also ad buyers. Did the Iron Cross producers think that buying adspace would give them a free pass from review?

Well apparently it did, however Variety has >put the review back up. It is the right thing to do.

In a new turn of events, it seems that Newton (Director of Iron Cross) has now figured that its ok to manipulate the press with heaps of money, and is offended that it bit him in the ass and is now considering to SUE Variety for posting the negative review. Gawker reports

Newton, a British filmmaker whose Holocaust revenge drama turned out to be Roy Scheider’s last movie, told Gawker that he and his investors are contemplating a lawsuit against Variety for selling them on a $400,000 Oscar campaign only to turn around publish a review calling the film “hackneyed,” “preposterous,” “mediocre,” “choppy,” and “uncertain.” Variety pulled the review, by freelance critic Robert Koehler, in December.

“We are currently reviewing our options,” Newton told Gawker. “I can’t comment on the legalities, but suffice it to say—how can I put this? There are issues. There are valid issues.”

Maybe I am just new to this whole journalism thing, but he has to realize that he bought AD SPACE with a publication that caters to the entertainment industry. I mean that was the whole point in buying in that publication right? Because the people passing judgment on his film (Oscar voters) will be reading it?

But its what they do! They do reviews on films, and there is no guarantee the critic will like it. You have to face that reality when you offer up your work for critique that it might not be well received.

How can he now sue them for doing their job, when he bought the adspace there because they presumably do their job???

He tried to essentially buy off Hollywood’s biggest industry publication (and they will take anyone’s money to sell adspace) but when he figured out that the reviewers don’t work in ad sales he got all confused.

Good luck with the lawsuit. You paid for ads, not a review.

Seems that Disney is moving fast with their new toys, and they are playing well with their existing franchises too. Some animated series are in the works for Tron, as well as for The Mighty Avengers.

Geeks of Doom shares:

On December 17, 2010, Tron: Legacy will be released in theaters. Disney has decided to use the constantly-growing buzz around this return to Tron to develop a brand new animated TV series to air on the Disney Channel. The show will be aimed at kids aged 6-14, and a 10-part animated mini-series of episodes will begin airing in the Fall of 2011 to set the actual series up.

This timing seems a little awkward. They are making a Tron Animated series nearly a full year after Tron comes out? What if the movie isn’t as big a hit as they (and by ‘they’ I mean ME dammit) hope it will be? I guess that will give them plenty of time to cancel it if it does right?

But they are also making an animated series of The Mighty Avengers to gear up anticipation for the film destined to land in the summer of 2012.

Disney also announced a second new animated TV series, this time using their massive acquisition of Marvel to reach out to the eyes of younger viewers. The show will be called The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and will be aired this upcoming Fall.

Now that makes sense to me. Setting up the film with some brand recognition ahead of time. I look forward to seeing what they do with that.

Looks like Avengers is less likely to be canon with the feature film, but I would wager that a Tron animated series will fit in well with the movie. Perhaps serving as a prequel?

I am good with Avengers standing as its own thing. Tron has a lot of potential to fill some gaps.