31 July 2008

Mike Myers - Comedy Killer?


Mike Myers, the former king-of-comedy, is apparently writing a fourth installment of the Austin Powers series. This is despite the critical and commercial failure of his last film, The Love Guru.

Now, The Love Guru was bad enough to kill anyone's career. Even the extras in that film will have trouble living down the immeasurable weight of guilt and shame that movie brought upon them. I was honestly wondering if we would ever see Myers in a live-action film again after the film bombed as badly as it did.

People reacted to The Love Guru in their own way.

However, Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Myers is currently writing a fourth Austin Powers film with previous collaborator Mike McCullers, this time focusing on Austin Powers' nemesis Dr. Evil, and his relationship with his son Scott (played by Seth Green). Now before you all throw yourselves out of the nearest window, let's discuss this like adults.

THE GREAT DEBATE - Could Austin Powers 4 Be Any Good?



For: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was an incredibly funny movie, and it spawned two pretty funny sequels. Perhaps Myers will be able to squeeze some more comedy-juice out of the series, especially considering it'll focus on the series funniest characters, Dr. and Scott Evil.

Against: Mike Myers last film was The Love Guru. The Love Guru was worse than most wars.

For: The Love Guru was an anomaly in Myer's ouvre. The Wayne's World series and So I Married an Axe Murderer are also great films, and the Powers characters are tried and true.

Against: Mike Myers wrote The Love Guru. The Love Guru is a solid argument in favour of ending freedom of speech.

For: Mike Myers used to be on Saturday Night Live, and he was great on that. And he's Shrek, and Shrek's OK too, I suppose.

Against: Mike Myers was in The Love Guru. The Love Guru hates laughter, and it hates you.

I suppose anyone who is willing to even appear in film again after unleashing the worst-character-in-the-history-of-film deserves a bit of credit for his bravery. Or is that a smack? Sorry, I meant he should get a smack in the mouth for appearing in that film.

HOWEVER! That doesn't mean a fourth Austin Powers movie will be that bad. Or bad at all. It may even be good, but I'm not crazy enough to make that kind of prediction at this stage. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if Myers can redeem himself. Do I think it's likely? I guess this picture speaks for itself.

R.I.P. Laughter

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30 July 2008

Clerks Is Back

For all of you who have been waiting so patiently with Clerks at the top of your queues, the wait is nearly over. Clerks, written by Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma, Clerks 2, Jersey Girl) will be re-released on August 14th and we will stock up sufficiently to make sure those of you who have stuck with us for so long without receiving this movie will soon get you fill of quirky, black and white, crude, corner store humour.

Kudos goes to Adrian T from Darlington NSW, he's been a long standing customer, who put Clerks on his queue when he first joined back in October 2005, and has patiently waited for it ever since (although, in fairness it hasn't always been at No.1 on his queue). Adrian, if you're reading this, we salute you, and we guarantee the wait is nearly over.

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Kenny - Making It In America

The home-grown classic Kenny has finally made it to America, and it's getting rave reviews.
The exploits of Kenny Smythe, port-a-loo expert and all around nice-guy, were documented by brothers Shane and Clayton Jacobson back in 2006, and the film was a critical and commerical hit. The mockumentary combined two of the greatest aspects of cinema - touching character studies and fart jokes.

This friday, the film will finally be released in selected cinemas across America. Although it's up against The Mummy 3 and the unstoppable juggernaut of The Dark Knight, it's nice to see a piece our pop culture making it over to the U.S for a change. Who knows, perhaps positive word-of-mouth could make the film a minor hit.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes currently has Kenny sitting at 100% - which is a pretty impressive figure. Back in 2006, Shane Jacobson won the Best Actor award for his role as Kenny, beating some heavy competition, including Gabriel Byrne in Jindabyne. GABRIEL BYRNE! I mean, I'm not trying to imply that Jacobson didn't deserve the award, but if I were him, all I would ever talk about was the time I beat Gabriel Byrne.

Byrn-ed!

Anyway, good luck to the Jacobson brothers - next week we'll let you know how well the film did over the weekend. In the meantime add some of these classic Aussie comedies to your queue.

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Possibly the Worst Film...EVER!!!!!

Infamous drunkard and tabloid darling Lindsay Lohan returns to DVD libraries across the country in I Know Who Killed Me. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about the film itself because I only made it through about 5 minutes before I started skipping forward to the scenes where she is either pole-dancing or bleeding.

And believe me, there are plenty of both. Sadly, as gratuitous and engrossing as both those highlights sound, they are nowhere near being able to save this film from the indignity of being possibly the worst film of all time. I haven't heard a single positive thing being said about it, anywhere, but we will have it in the library so you can judge for yourselves....if you so desire.
The film won Li-Lo three Razzies, how is that possible you say? Well, she tied with herself for the Worst Actress award (she plays two characters in the film) and managed to win Worst Screen Couple (for playing the same two characters). This surely equals Eddie Murphy's effort with Norbit, which reportedly cost him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Dreamgirls, but won him three Razzies for Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor, and Worst Actress. If you're gonna fail, I say fail spectacularly. And he did.

I Know Who Killed Me also won Worst Director, Worst Excuse For A Horror Movie, Worst Picture, Worst Remake or Rip-off, and Worst Screenplay. That's quite a haul!!! This picture of Lindsay bleeding might make you feel better.
Let us know what you think the worst movie of all time is, then watch this and see if your opinion changes.

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Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Teaser Trailer Debut

source: traileraddict.com

The teaser trailer for the 6th installment of the Harry Potter franchise has made its way online, and it hints at what could possibly be the best film of the series so far.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince takes place during Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts. Lord Voldemort is wreaking havoc and chaos across Britain, and Harry's other nemesis Draco Malfoy has taken on an unspeakable task. Harry knows he is the only one who could bring down Voldemort, so Professor Dumbledore begins to educate him on the past of the dark lord, particularly when he was a young wizard called Tom Riddle. Armed with a mysterious book of potions by the "Half Blood Prince", Harry begins a quest that will change things forever.

The trailer focuses on young Tom Riddle, played here by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, who is in fact Ralph Fiennes real-life nephew. Ralph Fiennes of course plays the adult Voldemort, and was named in a recent poll as the all time greatest movie villain.





This really looks amazing. I love the way that it is not being portrayed as a kid's film at all. Of course, us Harry Potter fans have known all along that these books/movies are hard core, intelligent stuff. Sure, reading it on the train won't exactly impress the most attractive girl/guy aboard. But damnit, you'd have my respect (which I guess, isn't that great of a trade-off).

The Harry Potter series is probably one of the strongest film franchises in history, with the past five films being great, and all five being completely different from one another. Although the fifth installment (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) wasn't as exciting as the previous few, it was still amazing considering it was a fourth sequel. Also, it suffered from being a bit of a bridging film - it didn't have the novelty and exciting set-pieces of the first four, and it wasn't close enough to the end of the story arc to have a satisfying conclusion.

But now, the penultimate story is right around the corner, and it's filled with thrills, deaths and good old-fashioned violence. Plus, the ending is probably the saddest and most shocking of the entire series. It's going to be great. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is released December 11.

FYI - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is set for release in both 2010 and 2011. As mentioned earlier this year, the book will be made into two films, with Part One released November 2010, and Part Two in May, 2011.

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28 July 2008

Who Should Be The Next Batman Villain?

Yes we know, The Dark Knight has only been out for a couple of weeks. Some may think it's a bit early to start wondering who will next emerge from Batman's rogue gallery. Truth is, even after seeing TDK multiple times, we want more. No. We NEED it.

So far, the Nolan-verse has provided us with the all-time best portrayal's of Ra's Al Ghul, Scarecrow, The Joker and Two-Face. So who could possibly be villainous enough to take up the next challenge? We put it to our readers to decide, and it was a close one.

1. The Riddler


Edward Nigma is your number 1 choice for the next Batman villain, with 31% of the vote. Obsessed with riddles and puzzles, The Riddler has appeared in the 1960's Batman television series, and in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever. It seems that most fans were unhappy with Jim Carrey's (too) manic portrayal, and are keen for Christopher Nolan to re-invent the character. The good news is that this may actually come true. Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon) has stated his interest to see The Riddler in a third film. Of course, not even a third film is a sure thing just yet, so keep watching the skies.

2. Catwoman

Who Could Play Her: Charlize Theron, Rosario Dawson.

Another villain who has appeared in almost every Batman incarnation, Selina Kyle garnered 27% of the Quickflix vote. Although Michelle Pfieffer did a good job in Batman Returns, Halle Berry almost destroyed the good-feline's name in her origin-ignoring, fan-hating version. However, it seems film audiences have picked up the pieces of their life after that disaster, and are ready to see a new Catwoman. May God have mercy on us all.

3. Mad Hatter

Who Could Play Him: Paul Dano, Crispin Glover, Giovanni Ribisi.

I was very glad to see that 25% of you voted for Mad Hatter, one of the most psychotic villains ever to square off against Batman (bar this guy, obviously). He has been portrayed as a hat-obsessed mind control artist with a penchent for Alice in Wonderland in the 1960's and animated television series. Although these traits do apply, there has been little exploration into his (even-more) sinister side, including his obsession with little girls called Alice. I think Mad Hatter would fit into Christopher Nolan's Batman series most effectively, and perhaps make an even creepier villain than The Joker.

4. Harley Quinn

Who Could Play Her: Zooey Deschenal, Kristen Bell, Brittany Murphy.

Another fan-favourite, the Joker's accomplice received 15% of the vote. Originally created just for the animated series, Harley Quinn proved so popular she was carried over into the comic world. Although she may be difficult to wedge into a film on her own, she is definately a character that would be worth bringing to the cinema.

5. The Penguin

Who Could Play Him: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Jack Black.

The unattractive, bird-loving and umbrella-toting villain proved to be the least popular maniac in our poll, with only 10% wanting to see him revamped. Christopher Nolan has said that The Penguin would be very tricky to fit into their more realistic universe, and screenwriter David Goyer has pretty much ruled him out. Oh well. We'll always have Danny DeVito.

Consensus: There are some great villains to choose from. As long as it's not Mr. Freeze, we'll be happy.

God, this movie sucked.

Be sure to check out all our Batman DVD's over at our Superhero Supersite!

ALSO - Remember to vote in our brand new poll "Which New Sherlock Holmes Film Do You Think Will Be Best?" Are you looking forward to Guy Ritchie's version starring Robert Downey Jr? Or will you prefer the Judd Apatow produced Holmes, starring Sacha Baron Cohen as the great detective, and Will Ferrell as Watson. Let us know at the top of the page!

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25 July 2008

Tropic Thunder is Going to Rock

source: traileraddict.com, mtv.com

With Tropic Thunder arriving in cinemas August 21st, there's no better time to catch up with the hilarious trailers/featurettes/viral videos that have been released over the last few months.

For the unaware, Tropic Thunder is an epic war-comedy directed by Ben Stiller, who stars alongside Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, Nick Nolte and Steve Coogan. The movie follows a group of arrogant actors filming a war flick in the middle of the jungle. However, they unwittingly get caught up in a real-life battle, and must find a way to survive.

The film garnered some publicity earlier this year, when it was revealed that Downey Jr would be playing a black man. Correction. He would be playing a white man PLAYING a black man. It's a pretty touchy issue, and there was even some debate on our own blog when the news was originally reported. Remember - the film is a satire. Trust us, once you see the footage, the joke becomes pretty clear.

So first up - have a look at the international trailer. By the way, this film will be great for what happens at 1:41 minutes alone.




Next we have the genius trailer for the (non-existant) making-of, 'Rain of Madness'. Warning: There is some coarse language.




Finally, we have a skit that Stiller, Black and Downey Jnr did for the MTV Awards earlier this year. Warning: It features some violence, a little blood, and a lot of crotch-punches.




Less than a month to go now! We'll be sure to keep you updated as we get closer to the release.

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24 July 2008

Anchorman 2 - Electric Boogaloo?

source: slashfilm.com

Comedy megastar Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay have revealed their plans for a sequel to Anchorman, with one version possibly set in the 80s.

The first Anchorman starred Ferrell as anchorman extraordinaire Ron Burgundy, an arrogant yet lovable buffoon (see: 90% of all Ferrell films). Set in the 1970's, it featured an all male news team (made up of Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner) dealing with the introduction of a female co-anchor (Christina Applegate).

The film was a modest hit, but has become a cult-classic on DVD. Thanks to its success, Ferrell and McKay were able to make Talladega Nights, and super producer Judd Apatow was trusted with directing The 40-Year-Old Virgin. And the rest is history.

I would love to see a second Anchorman film. Burgandy remains Ferrell's best character, and it'll be nice to see Steve Carell back as the nutty simpleton Brick Tamland. In the meantime, check out the trailer for the latest Ferrel/McKay collaboration, Step Brothers.

It stars Ferrell and the hilarious (and Oscar nominated) John C. Reilly as, well, you get the picture.


Step Brothers opens September 18.

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'Jennifer's Body' Poster Debut - Honest to Blog

source: impawards.com

The poster for Diablo Cody's latest film Jennifer's Body has landed online, and although it's sparse, we can deduce that the film will feature both blood and lips.

If any actress' body deserves its own movie, it's got to be Megan Fox, who stars as the demon-possessed cheerleader Jennifer. Using her feminine wiles, she tricks plenty of local Minnesota boys (and girls) into becoming her food. It's up to her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried from Mamma Mia) to bring her down.

At least you can't accuse Cody (who won an Oscar for penning last years brilliant Juno) of being unoriginal. However, if Jennifer's Body is filled with the same snarky pop-cultural dialogue as Juno, I don't know if it will be embraced in the same way. Is Diablo Cody a one-trick pony? Or can she adapt her schtick like other recognisable writers such as Cameron Crowe or Woody Allen? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The horror-comedy is set for release in 2009.

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21 July 2008

Who Should Play Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's "Nottingham"?

Over the last couple of months there has been a lot of speculation over who is going to play Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's film Nottingham.

Russell Crowe is signed on to play the Sherriff of Nottingham, who this time will be the hero, while Robin Hood will be the villain. Since Scott can't decide, we put it up to our readers to choose the best Robin from a list of likely candidates. And...it looks like we can't choose either!

1. James McAvoy and Christian Bale

The young scot and the now-legendary brit received 26% of the vote each. McAvoy has made a name for himself in some astounding early roles in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement. He is also starring in the upcoming Wanted with Angelina Jolie. I think McAvoy has a bit of the cheeky charm that could make a villainous Robin Hood seem more lovable than anything else. Christian Bale on the other hand, could be truly ominous, and maybe even a frightening Hood. Originally the front-runner for the role, it seems people rushed home from The Dark Knight to vote for him as a worthy Robin Hood. However, rumours of Bale taking the main role have been quashed. Fair enough really. I think this guy will be busy enough playing John Connor.

2. Clive Owen and Cate Blanchett

Tied for 2nd place (or should that be 3rd) is the thespian Clive Owen and the australian chameleon Cate Blanchett. Both of them registered 16% of the vote. Clive Owen has shown his medieval chops in King Arthur, and proven a pretty good villain in The Bourne Identity. However, I think its been proven that Cate Blanchett can play pretty much any role. Maybe a bit of femininity could go a long way in Nottingham. Plus, Blanchett hooking up with Sienna Miller as Maid Marion would be pretty sweet.

3. Daniel Craig
Although we love him as Bond, it seems Quickflix readers aren't quite ready to see Craig take on another iconic role. Although he's got the grittiness, does he have the charm to be the fearless thief? Only 13% of you thought so.

4. Sam Riley

Coming last is english newcomer Sam Riley with 0% of the votes. Yes, 0 as in Zero. This is a shame, because Riley is Russell Crowe's favoured choice. Riley broke through last year playing Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis in Control. Apart from a couple of episodes of Law and Order, Riley hasn't been given many other roles to show his skills. Although he's not the popular choice, will the unknown Riley prove to be the best Robin Hood? Well, at least he would be better than Kevin Costner.

Be sure to vote in our latest poll at the top of the page, and keep an eye out here for more news on Nottingham.

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The Dark Knight - Literally Best Movie Ever

source: imdb.com

The Dark Knight has been out for 5 days, and already the world has improved immeasurably. We at Quickflix knew it was going to be amazing, and it seems the ENTIRE WORLD agrees.

I made a couple of predictions before The Dark Knight was released: 1) that it would have the biggest opening weekend in history, making $160 million in the U.S, and 2) that it would be the greatest film ever made.

First of all, it seems my $160 prediction was a little high. However, it is being reported that The Dark Knight did indeed rake in $155.3 million, and has broken Spiderman 3's record.

Second, while my claims that The Dark Knight would become the Citizen Kane of 2008 may have been misguided fanboy excitement, it seems it was a spot-on prediction. The IMDB top 250 films of all time records thousands of votes from all over the world based on a film's rating out of 10. Check out where TDK sits currently:

Eat it, Coppola.

So is a Best Picture nomination REALLY in range for The Dark Knight? Or as the weeks go on will the adulation fade? First question - yes. Second question - no. Go see The Dark Knight.

Check out our five-star review for The Dark Knight.

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Meet Dave - Review

Meet Dave - Starring Eddie Murphy, Gabrielle Union, Elizabeth Banks and Ed Helms. Directed by Brian Robbins. Rated PG for infrequent violence and crude humour. 90 mins.

In 2006, Eddie Murphy made Norbit, a film that was racist, sexist, and worst of all, unfunny. It was considered to be the worst thing he'd ever done by pretty much everybody. And that was in the same year that he abandoned Scary Spice while she was pregnant with his child. I bet if you asked her today, she'd probably think Norbit was worse too. So imagine my surprise when I sat in the cinema and found his latest PG rated comedy to be both i) a clever concept, and ii) well-executed. In fact, I might even go out on a limb and actually say that Meet Dave is, um, good.

In Meet Dave, Murphy plays a giant humanoid space-ship that has landed on Earth, and is manned by the tiny, also humanoid aliens from the planet Nim. The Captain (Murphy again, showing restraint by only playing two characters) leads his crew in a mission to steal all the salt from Earth's oceans to save their own dying planet. This act might also kill Earth, but it's a price they're willing to pay. Their mission is delayed by unexpected circumstances, as the entire crew begin to take on human traits and become affectionate, fun-loving, and in one case, flamboyantly homosexual. As the giant spaceship (referred to as Dave) befriends a single-mother (Banks) and her son, the Captain becomes fond of the planet he is charged with destroying.

Don't be fooled by the awful trailers and marketing campaign (which in the U.S included a flatbed truck carrying a giant model of Murphy's head. Because that's not annoying.) Meet Dave is a pretty good family film, with enough juvenile humour and sweetness to please most. Think of Elf via Galaxy Quest, and you've got a pertty good idea of what to expect. I've come to accept that Axel Foley and Prince Akeem are probably long dead - at least in terms of Murphy creating a character even close to being as funny. But i've got to say, there aren't really a lot of problems with Meet Dave.

Murphy plays the awkward spaceship pretty well, and he had me laughing along with most of the children in the audience pretty loudly (and yes, I feel very ashamed as I write this). Banks is also convincing as the kind-hearted single mother, and Ed Helms seems to be enjoying playing the mutinous human-hating crewmember aboard Dave. I suppose if I had to nitpick, the directing is pretty uninspired. The New York setting is wasted here, and it might actually be the ugliest the city has ever looked (that includes Taxi Driver). Also, the CGI is kind of terrible. But the kid's didn't care about that, and to be honest, neither did I while I was watching the film.

What really struck me is the film's sweetness. It gets a little soppy at the end, but it's not out of the film's character, and its kind-of effective as well. In one scene, a hobo shares his blanket with the homeless starship, and the kind act really seems to effect the entire crew. This was a really nice comedy, one that I actually enjoyed watching. Compare that with The Love Guru, which hates both its audience, and laughter in general.

Don't go in expecting 48 Hours Murphy, or even Bowfinger Murphy. This is a family film, even maybe a kids film. But for a kids film, its pretty good, and there seems to have at least been some care taken in the making. Although it might be a little forgettable, and least its not unforgettable for the wrong reasons. It's a long climb up from Norbit, but Murphy's getting there.

3/5

P.S - I've got to say i'm a little annoyed, that after all the great films of 2008, the moments burned into my brain are 1) A prison inmates head up another inmates butt in Hancock and now 2) Murphy pooping money as Dave.

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19 July 2008

Watchmen Trailer Debut - Eye-Bleedingly Good

source: ew.com

Sure, we were disappointed when the trailer for Watchmen didn't screen before the The Dark Knight. The same goes for the similarly promised trailer for the new Terminator film. Thankfully, both have made it online.


Billy Crudup as John Osterman/Dr Manhattan

We've already mentioned the Terminator: Salvation trailer. We thought it looked cool. Then the trailer for Zach Snyder's Watchmen hit the web. Wait untill you see this:



If you're wondering what that last scene is - it's Doctor Manhattan building a glass palace on Mars. Notice how Synder doesn't film it as if it's the greatest moment in cinema, but instead zooms out letting us see it all slowly. Perfect.

Never in a million years could I have pictured such a faithful adaptation of the beloved graphic novel. Not only that, iconic images from the original comic POP here in a way that matches, and sometimes exceeds the original amazing animations.

Nite Owl and Silk Spectre 2 break into prison.

To learn about the history of the Watchmen, and see some Comic Panel/Film Scene comparisons, check our earlier posting "Who Watches the Watchmen?".

Otherwise, prepare yourself for the March, 2009 release date. But get ready for a long slog. Snyder is trying to cut his 3 and a half hour edit to 2 hours 25 mins. Trust me. Were going to need at least 3 hours to get this thing right.

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17 July 2008

The Dark Knight - Review

The Dark Knight - Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Rated M for frequent action violence. 152 mins.

The weight of expectation should have crushed this movie. Three years after a critically and financially successful series reboot. Two legendary villains re-introduced. A rabid fanbase who could barely wait to tear into any leaked moment from the film. Actors were recast; tragedy struck. Lesser films have crumbled under a tenth of the pressure placed upon The Dark Knight. Yet there it was, finally on the screen - gut wrenching and disturbing and emotionally draining. But when the film finished, I would have just have happily sat there as they replayed it for the next audience.

Time has passed since Batman Begins. Criminals are truly afraid of the bat man, allowing District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to finally prosecute and bring down the organised crime syndicates within Gotham City. It looks as if Batman might no longer be needed, as Dent is now the beloved White Knight of Gotham. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) considers hanging up the cape once and for all, a promise he once made to childhood sweetheart and Assistant DA Rachel Dawes (Gyllenhall replacing the much less talented Katie Holmes).

It isn't long however, before a wild card is thrown into the mix. Enter The Joker (Ledger), a scarred and irrationally violent figure who offers to take out Batman for the crippled mobsters. He asks for a hefty fee - and then later burns it to the ground. It isn't money he wants, its chaos. The Joker begins to terrorise Gotham in ways more shocking than I could ever hope to describe here. I will say this: In one scene, Batman is forced to choose one person's life over another. The scene ends in one of the most shocking moments I've ever witnessed in the cinema. I could feel the entire audience's heart caught in their throat, as well as my own.

So far, I've only described the first half of the film, and I'm not going to divulge the rest. There are far too many surprises to spoil, and being surprised is half the fun. Compare that to a film like Hancock, which feels like the shell of good movie with nothing inside. The Dark Knight is bursting with invention. Christopher Nolan has really given us the greatest Batman film we could have ever asked for. He fills the film with images that are soon to be iconic, and some moments that are so disturbing I don't know if I could ever get them out of my mind. I would never want to.

Christian Bale really is the perfect Bruce Wayne, and an even better Batman. However, he’s overshadowed here by Heath Ledger, who is as good as you've heard. In fact, he's better. You can't wait until he's on screen; he's funny and scary and absolutely mental. Jack Nicholson was fun, but THIS is The Joker.

Aaron Eckhart is also amazing as Harvey Dent. As fans will already know, Harvey Dent becomes Two-Face at a pivotal point in the film. When Two-Face finally does appear, it’s amazing and horrific. It's just one of the many moments that are unforgettable.

The Dark Knight keeps your stomach in knots. When the film started, I was excitedly shaking like the fanboy I am. By the time it was over, I was pale, my palms were sweaty, and I could barely hold in the emotions caught in my chest. The film is challenging in ways like no superhero film before it. There are so many "what would I have done" situations, a tie-in book of hypotheticals could be released. It is wave after wave of distress and anxiety. Heroes suffer. Good people die. This film isn't the superhero version of The Godfather Part 2 - it’s the new Godfather Part 2.

From the thrilling score to the demented make-up; the sweeping shots to the gritty script. The supporting cast of Michael Caine as Wayne's loyal butler Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, head of Wayne Enterprises and Gary Oldman, as the good cop Lieutenant Gordon. It's all perfect. It is full of absolute white-knuckle entertainment, including an amazing car chase, bone-breaking fight scenes and one explosion barely big enough to fit on the screen.

While Bruce Wayne claims his Batman is about theatrics and intimidation, deep down he’s about humanity. He gives up a lot to save the soul of Gotham city from the clutches of the Joker. In the so-intense-you-can-barely-watch finale, the citizens of Gotham are forced to prove if there are any souls left worth saving. It’s one of the boldest moments in a brave film. If it doesn't get a Best Picture nomination, then why even bother giving out awards at all.

I'm going back this weekend. See you there.

5/5

Watch the trailer here.

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Pixar - Greatest Filmmakers Ever?

source: rottentomatoes.com

To coincide with their 10th anniversary, Rotten Tomatoes have released a list of the best reviewed films for each of the last 10 years. Looking at the list can only lead to one conclusion - Pixar is the greatest film studio of the decade, if not of all time.

Pixar Studios - Giant "Luxo"

For those who don't know, Rotten Tomatoes creates a percentage score for each film based on hundreds of reviews. Listed are the best reviewed films of each year.

1999 - Toy Story 2
2000 - Chicken Run
2003 - Finding Nemo
2005 - Murderball
2006 - The Queen
2007 - Ratatouille

As you can see, Pixar have created 5 of the 10 best reviewed films of the decade. Not only that, Toy Story 2 has a score of 100%, making it the best reviewed film, ever! It looks like they may take the crown for 2008 aswell, with Wall-E currently sitting on 97%. (NB: Incredibles and Ratatouille writer/director Brad Bird also created The Iron Giant, which came 3rd in 1999.)

Pixar have dominated the Best Animated Picture Oscar in the last few years, as well as scoring a few Best Original Screenplay nominations. But is it time for Pixar to move into the big leagues? I've mentioned earlier Wall-E's possible Best Picture nomination in a prior post.

Do animated films deserve Oscars for writing and direction? I say, a very big YES! In an age where even Crash can win Best Picture, I think it's definitely time for Pixar to get their due. Let us know what you think in the comments below.


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Terminator Salvation - Teaser Trailer Debut

source: youtube.com

The teaser trailer for Terminator: Salvation is set to debut in front of The Dark Knight in the U.S this Friday. Thankfully, it's made it's way online - and lordy is it good.

Check it out:



Man oh man. Was anyone expecting it to look THAT great? I mean sure, everyone loves The Terminator series, but who'd have thought an Arnold-less sequel directed by McG would actually look appealing. We should've had more faith when Christian Bale signed on to play John Connor. I guess that proves the old theory that Christian Bale > Nick Stahl + Edward Furlong. Also, see if you can catch Aussie actor Sam Worthington getting a name-check. Nice one!

An Equally Good Marketing Campaign

"Rent these films - or I will crush you!"

Better do what he says:

The Terminator

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

BTW - Christian Bale has now played Batman, Bob Dylan and John Connor. What other icons can this guy possibly cover?

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16 July 2008

School of Rock 2 - Jack Black Can't Stop/Won't Stop Rocking

source: variety.com

After years of speculation, Paramount Pictures has greenlit a sequel to the 2003 hit School of Rock, with star Jack Black, writer Mike White and director Richard Linklater all signed on.

School of Rock 2: America Rocks will follow music "teacher" and unstoppable rocker Dewey Finn as he takes a busload of summer-school students on a cross country field trip. His plan is to educate them on the history of rock'n'roll, while exploring the roots of other genres such as country, blues and rap.

I gotta say, I wouldn't mind seeing another School of Rock. The original was really great, and it was the best showcase of Black's talent that we've yet seen. Director Richard Linklater is involved once again, which is very good news. This guy has made some great movies, so if he has faith, then so do I.

While the film doesn't have a release date yet, it will probably start filming at the end of the year. In the meantime, here's the trailer for The Rocker starring Rainn Wilson (you might recognise him as Dwight Schrute from the American Office.) The Rocker comes out next month, and looks like School of Rock with slightly older kids.


Keep on Rockin'!

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua - History's Greatest Mistake

source: youtube.com, videodetective.com

Congratulations Disaster Movie - it looks like you might not be the worst film of 2008. Well, it probably will - but it has certainly been beaten in the worst trailer department. That crown now goes to Beverly Hills Chihuahua, a Disney production that is both vomit inducing, and kind of offensive.

The trailer for this horrible, horrible mess has been circulating on the internet for about a month now. Its popularity has spiked wih many posting reaction videos on youtube - basically a video of people watching the trailer, and reacting accordingly (for instance, a young man places a noose around his neck at about the 1min 40 mark).

Anyway, you really have to see it to understand - so here it is:



For those who didn't find that disturbing enough, here is the German version:



Does Hollywood feel that we have been spoilt with too many good movies this year? Is this why they have to deliver us Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Ace Ventura Jr? Or are we still being karmically punished for those who saw Meet the Spartans?

At least we've gotten a good drinking game out of it - take a shot everytime they say Chihuahua. Or, take a drink everytime you want to drive your head through the computer screen. It's about the same amount.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua will come to cinemas at some point I suppose.

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Moviefone Names Top 25 Movie Villains

source: http://movies.aol.com/

Moviefone has released their list of the 25 greatest movie villains of all time, and its filled with all the usual suspects, as well as a few surprises and some glaring omissions.

Taking the Number 1 spot is Ralph Fiennes as Harry Potter's nemesis He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named (we're not afraid - it's really Lord Voldemort). While Voldemort is a hell of a villain, I think Number 1 is a little too high, especially considering who he's trumped.

In 2nd place is Darth Vader - in both his angsty teen and planet destroying phases. The Wicked Witch of the West came 3rd, above Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter which placed a respectable 4th.

Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight came 5th - impressive for a movie that just came out today.
Other notable entries include Javier Bardem's emotionally bankrupt mass murderer Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men at Number 7. Hans Gruber - the money-hungry "terrorist" from Die Hard was chosen as the 8th greatest villain of all time. Horror staples Michael Myers (Halloween) and Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm St) managed 12th and 13th respectively.

Some of my all-time favourite villains barely made it into the top 20, including the great T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which came in at number 18. Dennis Hopper's oxygen-addicted sexual deviant Frank Booth (from Blue Velvet) managed a placement at 23. Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan was named 24th, while way down at the bottom was Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith from The Matrix.

KHANNNNNNNNNNNN!

Although a lot of the greats are covered here, there are a few classic villains missing. Just to name a few: Norman Bates from Psycho, Idi Amin from The Last King of Scotland, Amon Goeth (another Ralph Fiennes villain) from Schindler's List, and Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Admit it - this red light was a better villain than Cruella De Ville.


Here is the full list for your troubles:

1. Lord Voldemort - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. Darth Vader - Star Wars
3. Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard of Oz
4. Hannibal Lecter - The Silence of the Lambs
5. Joker - The Dark Knight
6. Goldfinger - Goldfinger
7. Anton Chigurh - No Country for Old Men
8. Hans Gruber - Die Hard
9. Max Cady - Cape Fear
10. Queen - Sleeping Beauty
11. Harry Powell - Night of the Hunter
12. Michael Myers - Halloween
13. Freddy Krueger - A Nightmare on Elm St
14. Mrs Iselin - The Manchurian Candidate
15. Tom Powers - Public Enemy
16. Annie Wilkes - Misery
17. Dr Christian Szell - Marathon Man
18. T-1000 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
19. Joan Crawford - Mommie Dearest
20. Lex Luthor - Superman
21. Alonzo Harris - Training Day
22. Cruella DeVille - 101 Dalmations
23. Frank Booth - Blue Velvet
24. Khan Noonien Singh - Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan
25. Agent Smith - The Matrix

Are there any villains that unfairly missed out? Is Joan Crawford REALLY a better movie villain than Lex Luthor? How come Jack Nicholson isn't on this list AT ALL? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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The Dark Knight is Here!

Ladies and gentleman, its been two very, very long years, but it's finally here. The Dark Knight opens today in cinemas everywhere, two days before even the U.S gets a glimpse.

I'm sure that in the future, our children will ask us where we were the day The Dark Knight came out. Of course, if the answer is anything but "Seeing The Dark Knight", then your children have every right to be ashamed of you. And you would just have to deal with it.

Even before the film has been released, the entire movie-going public are pretty much admitting that it will be one of the greatest films of all time. Film website Moviefone has named Heath Ledger's Joker as the 5th greatest villain of all time. The film also has the third highest advance ticket sales of all time, trailing only Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Now I am NEVER one to hyperbolise, but I think it's safe to say that after seeing The Dark Knight, all films ever released prior will now be seen as distractions made to kill time until DK , and all films released after will be a poor attempt to achieve it's lofty heights of excellence.

The big question is how much The Dark Knight will make over the three-day-weekend in the U.S. Warner Bros is predicting $100 million, which is laughably low. Could it beat Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($131 million) or even the current champ Spiderman 3 ($151 million)? Yes - let's make a call right now - $160 million.

So, I hope everyone makes it out there and enjoys the film - let us know what you thought in the comments section below - Did it meet your expectations? How was Heath? Was Two-Face cool? Is this the greatest Batman/Superhero film ever? Should it be nominated for Best Picture as some critics are saying?

Check out the trailer here.

P.S - The trailer for Zach Snyder's Watchmen that we mentioned last week should be attached to TDK - what did you think? Is this the next film to go bat-crazy over?

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15 July 2008

Babylon AD Trailer

After brief forays into drama and comedy with roles in Find Me Guilty and The Pacifier, Vin Diesel returns to what he arguably does best, full scale action flicks. The proud owner of the planet's most manly voice plays lead character Thoorop in the futuristic Babylon AD, the story of a mercenary employed to escort a woman from Russia to China, while unaware she is playing host to an organism wanted by a cult who are looking to produce a genetically modified Messiah. Ummm..... OK?

For me, the jury is still out on whether this will fulfil potential, the action sequences look reminiscent of Nightwatch, which is a good thing, and a European director will hopefully prevent it from descending into trite Hollywood slush, but we'll see. Babylon AD is directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, who gave us such trats as Gothika and La Haine, and is set for release in October.

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14 July 2008

What is the Best Superhero Movie of 2008 (So Far)?

Well, the results are in. We put it to our readers to decide which superhero film was the best of 2008 (so far), and the winner was pretty clear:

1. Iron Man

Yes, the much-loved Robert Downey Jnr flick is your favourite superhero film of the first half of 2008, with a whopping 75% of votes. Tony Stark proved to be a powerful force at the box office, earning over $560 million worldwide. It was worshipped by fans and adored by critics, and at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is the highest rated superhero film ever, and the 2nd highest rated film of 2008. Last week we reported the good news that director Jon Favreau would be returning to helm Iron Man 2, set for release in 2010. Can the sequel match the lofty heights of the original? Sure, why not.

2. Hancock

In what I must admit is a bit of a shock, the wreckless but lovable Hancock came in at number 2 with 20% of the votes. In my review for Hancock, I was worried that the film would be one of the most hated films of 2008. I am glad to see that the film has been embraced in spite of its flaws, and has made $243 million worldwide after only two weeks.

3. The Incredible Hulk

I know, I know. Three films isn't exactly a wide selection of films to vote for. Plus, pitting anything against Iron Man is likely to fail in a big way. But is it true? Only 4% of you thought The Incredible Hulk was the best superhero film of 2008. Although more forgettable than Hancock or Iron Man, Hulk 2008 was at least exciting and competantly made. However, it had a boatload of negative buzz to fight against. It seems it just wasn't good enough to make a lasting mark on viewers, nor was it enough of an improvement on Ang Lee's 2003 version to make the haters happy.

So there is the wrap-up for our first Quickflix poll - be sure to vote in our next one at the top of the page.

But here is the big question: At year's end, will Iron Man still be the favourite Superhero film of 2008? Take a look at the competition:

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Punisher: War Zone
The Spirit
and a little film called The Dark Knight (opening this Wednesday).

One thing is for sure - we're being spoiled with options.

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12 July 2008

The Love Guru - Review

The Love Guru - Starring Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Verne Troyer and Romany Malco. Directed by Marco Schnabel. Rated M for frequent sexual references, some coarse language and drug references. 86 mins.

Has it really been 11 years since Austin Powers first hit cinemas? Wow. I love the Austin Powers series. I love Wayne's World 1 & 2 even more than that. After the third Austin Powers film came out, Mike Myers seemed pretty content to just be Shrek for a while. But here he is, six years later, as his brand new character Guru Pitka, a spiritual leader in the vein of Deepak Chopra. Except he's not actually Indian, but in fact Canadian. Oh, and although he claims to be The Love Guru, he is a selfish, fame-hungry virgin who gives bad advice and makes worse jokes. And he might just be the worst character in the history of film, ever.

I had pretty low expectations for The Love Guru, and I was still disappointed. In fact, disappointed is in no way an appropriate term for criticising this film. What kind of words can be used on a film so awful, that no-one involved is redeemable from its suckiness. Even Kanye West, who has a 3-second cameo. I don't know if I can ever listen to his music again without picturing Guru Pitka's stupid face. A movie so bad, that it makes Verne Troyer's sex tape a more enjoyable watch. And a story so awful, so awfully executed, and so awfully concluded, you have to wonder who in the world gave Myers $62 million to make it.

The "Story": Pitka spends his day dreaming of appearing on Oprah, plotting to usurp Deepak Chopra from his position as #1 guru, and spouting off countless mantras to his (presumed idiot) masses (ie. Intimacy - Into Me I See. Ugh). Jessica Alba plays Jane Bullard, owner of the Toronto Maple Leaves hockey team, who hires Pitka to reunite washed up star Darren Roanoke (Malco) with his ex, who has shacked up with Jaques Grande (Timberlake), goalie for the LA Kings.

So that's a pretty bad story line, and a film based on that should be bad enough, right? Wrong. It's much, much worse. At least 70% of the film has no interest in Roanoke and his ex-wife, and instead we have to see Myers woo Alba, who is such a bad actress, that not even her hotness can make her worth watching. We are also treated to countless scenes of Justin Timberlake as an incredibly endowed Quebecoise imbecile. It is not funny. Neither is Myers constantly turning to camera and winking or giggling or doing something that just makes us want to slap that dumb smile off his face. The Love Guru is so bad, it almost makes love itself seem stupid.

Justin Timberlake - Embarrassing Himself

I hated every character in this film. I didn't want this film to have a happy ending, because none of these characters deserve love, or money, or fame, or even a movie documenting their existence, no matter if they're made up or not. The movie was non sensical. Scenes ended uncomfortably, as if the big punchline was cut in the editing. This can only make me think - what in the world was CUT OUT?! For instance, how does a 5-MINUTE (!) sequence about food that looks like genitals not get trimmed slightly? How could they allow Myers to perform no less than 3 full songs on the sitar? How bad must the stuff they cut out be? What instructions was the editor given? "Be sure to cut the end of that scene. We need to get this film under 90 minutes. But leave in the two elephants doing it, that's gonna kill!"

Who would've thought that Mike Myers could actually do WORSE than The Cat in the Hat. He's gone from one of the most beloved comic actors of the last twenty years, to sub-Norbit levels of lameness. At one point in the film, Pitka flicks around radio stations until he finally lands on Bohemian Rhapsody, channeling the classic moment from Wayne's World. He quickly changes the channel to something else, looking awkward and embarrassed. It's probably the only time during the film he shouldn't look awkward and embarrassed. But if I created The Love Guru, I'd be pretty embarrassed too.

0.5/5

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11 July 2008

Max Payne Trailer

The first trailer for Max Payne has just hit the web. Directed by remake master John Moore (The Omen 666, Flight Of The Phoenix) and starring Mark Wahlberg as Max, a DEA agent whose family was slain as part of some sinister conspiracy, this is shaping to be one of the better videogame adaptations.

The trailer, which shows brief glimpses of Mila Kunis as an assassin out to avenge her sister's death, looks quite dark and Wahlberg seems to have shed the quietly spoken nice-guy image and appears more of a quietly spoken bad-ass. I know preious little about the actual storyline, but the visuals are promising.
Check it out for yourselves:

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Kath N Kim USA

Here's a first look at the US version of the Aussie classic. In my opinion, it's still too early to say whether they have done the series justice, but it's in good hands and the actors are all accomplished enough to have a decent crack. It probably depends largely on whether the hunour can translate as easily as the dialogue. I'll let you judge for yourselves. Feel free to drop us a line and tell us what you think.

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10 July 2008

Inglorious Bastards Hits the Web

Word has it that Quentin Tarantino has been shopping his now-finished Inglorious Bastards script around to studios in the hope of commencing filming towards the end of this year. Apparently there are a couple of versions of the script making their way around the internet, and the buzz so far is overwhelmingly positive. Despite the commercial flop that was Grindhouse, QT still commands attention amongst the biggest of Hollywood big-hitters, and has been in talks with all the big studios to see who will pony up vast amounts of money for his latest vision. It seems this production will mark his (reportedly amicable) departure from the Weinstein/Miramax family, whose coffers he emptied and subsequently failed to refill with Grindhouse, and his first venture into the war genre.
There are various versions of the storyline going round, but very basically it is about a group of soldiers who are facing the death sentence, being given the chance to redeem themselves by heading off on some sort of suicide mission into Nazi Germany. No doubt there will be plenty of manly and uncouth banter and bucketloads of blood, and possibly a total lack of morality, but we'll keep you informed.

Brad Pitt has reportedly been offered the lead role, and with names like Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Eddie Murphy being bandied around for supporting roles, it looks like being one of the biggest and most hyped movies of recent times.

Bear in mind, most of this is unconfirmed, but watch this space for updates.

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Iron Man 2 - Jon Favreau WILL Return to Direct

source: deadlinehollywooddaily.com

After months of speculation, Marvel Studios has locked in Jon Favreau to direct the sequel to the critical and commercial megasmash Iron Man.

For those who do not know the story of Iron Man - wait, who didn't go see Iron Man? - it's about weapons magnate Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr). After being kidnapped by terrorists using his own weapons, Stark builds an iron suit to escape and eventually to fight the evil that he unwittingly created. And, it was good.

Favreau's Iron Man has been one of the biggest and best success stories of the year. Just think of all the risks it took on: It was based on a lesser known comic book character (compared to Spiderman, Batman etc); it was the first make-or-break film for a brand new studio; it starred a barely insurable lead with a history of drug-abuse; Jeff Bridges shaved his head.

Bad Acting---------------- Good Acting

And where did it get them: A worldwide gross of over $560 million and a ranking of #163 on IMDB's top 250 films of all time (the 2nd highest ranking film of 2008, after Wall-E).

Iron Man was one of the few superhero films to be loved by critics, crowds and the comic's original fans. A lot of this should be credited to Favreau, who maintained a comedic tone alongside genuine action, excitement and ... well, awesomeness.

But then, Marvel suddenly announced that Iron Man 2 would be released in May, 2010 - without telling Favreau. And everyone freaked out. Would Marvel really go on without the director that gave them such a great film in the first place?

Well, no, it seems. But it was touch and go for awhile. Favreau has officially signed on, with a (well-deserved) pay bump. Downey Jnr is slated to return as The Man, as is Terrence Howard (who we are likely to see turn into War Machine this time around) and Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony Stark's loyal assistant Pepper Potts.

The big question remains - can Favreau bring us a second Iron Man film (remember, there is no script) in less than two years? All the great superhero sequels (Dark Knight, Spiderman 2, X-Men 2) came 3 years after their predecessor. However, if Iron Man 2 comes out in 2011 instead of 2010, what will happen to The Avengers film, already slated for 2011. That one has already been promoted WITHIN Marvel's Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk (via the awesome Samuel L. Jackson cameo in the first, and the killer Downey Jnr. cameo in the latter).

In my opinion, Favreau will have to put his foot down and keep Marvel from trying to ruin their own (possibly short-lived) legacy. They're announcing more and more films, without directors, casts or even scripts. Hopefully, by pulling Favreau back on board, Iron Man 2 will be more like Superman 2, and less like Elektra (shudder).

Check out more at our Superhero Supersite

Or have a look through our huge collections for the perfect film!

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Did you know.....?

Source: Warner Bros.

James Cameron considered casting O.J. Simpson as the Terminator in the original 1984 movie but changed his mind because he did not think that "such a nice guy could be such a ruthless killer".

Mr Cameron, you have done some amazing things on the big screen and using Arnie turned out to be an inspired choice. But please, don't ever brag about your character judging abilities. Maybe OJ has been in method acting mode for an as-yet unnamed turn as a total psycho.

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Ace Ventura 3 - Makes "Disaster Movie" Look Watchable

source: slashfilm.com, traileraddict.com

Hmm, I think the title for this blog post is a little inaccurate. After all, absolutely nothing could make "Disaster Movie" bearable in the slightest way. However, a new Ace Ventura installment could possibly steal its crown as the worst film of 2008.

Ace Ventura 3 (or possibly Ace Ventura Jr) will star Josh Flitter as Ace's 12-year-old son Ace Jr. Ace Snr has run off and abandoned Junior and his mother Melissa, who both work in a zoo. Then his mother is accused of stealing a baby panda, and Ace Jr has to clear her name blah blah seriously this movie sounds so awful its impossible to even complete a synopsis without feeling a little ill.

Maybe you think I'm being harsh on this film. Take a look at this picture of Flitter as Ace Junior, and just try to not punch your computer screen.

Ugh.

While Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls weren't exactly Shakespeare, they were very funny films that were the perfect vehicles for Jim Carrey's rubber-faced abilities. Carrey is wisely not reprising his role as the manic pet detective in this third installment.

Originally, the film was expected to go straight-to-dvd. For some reason, Warner's is now considering bringing the films to theatres in September.

I hate to leave on a bad note, so here is another trailer for The Dark Knight:



The Dark Knight opens in one week. There is literally no acceptable excuse for not seeing it.

Oh, and Ace Ventura 3 will come out eventually aswell. God help us.

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9 July 2008

Quarantine - Trailer

Source: TrailerAddict.com
Anyone into being extremely scared should check out this trailer. It stars Jennifer Carpenter, who played the title character in The Exorcism Of Emily Rose and Dexter's cop sister Deborah in Dexter. I haven't heard much about this film, but I have seen a couple of trailers and I think it looks pretty nasty. Check it out for yourself, but be warned it looks pretty gruesome.

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Quantum of Solace trailer

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7 July 2008

Who Watches the Watchmen? We Do!

source: http://watchmenmovie.warnerbros.com/

With all the overwhelming hype for superhero flicks Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Hellboy 2 and The Dark Knight, one of the most important releases of 2009 has been overlooked: the adaptation of the classic graphic novel Watchmen.

Watchmen was a 12-issue comic book series originally released in 1986. Written by the legendary Alan Moore, and illustrated by the incredibly influential Dave Gibbons, Watchmen quickly became one of the most important pieces of modern fiction ever produced, even making it's way onto TIME Magazine's 100 greatest novels.

The story is set in an alternate 1986, a world where masked avengers actually exist. Or at least they did, until they were outlawed for taking the law into their own hands. Many of them, including Nite Owl and Ozymandias are forced to rejoin society after they are made redundant by a genuine superhero known as Dr. Manhattan. Thanks to Dr. Manhattan, America wins the Vietnam war, and Richard Nixon remains in power. However, the Cold War still remains, and it looks as if the world is about to nuke itself into extinction. As the world races to it's fiery end, former heroes begin to turn up dead. Renegade vigilante Rorschach puts it upon himself to find out who's eliminating his former colleagues - and discover's the horrible link between the deaths and the impending nuclear apocalypse.

Phew. Sure, it sounds like a pretty bold concept for a 300+ page comic book, let alone a feature film. I would easily call this my favourite book (and yes, I DO call this a book), and my excitement for seeing it on the big screen is matched only by my fear of seeing it massacred. However, it seems to be in pretty good hands. Director Zach Synder did a fairly good remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2004, and proved with last year's 300 that he knows how to faithfully adapt a graphic novel.

Earlier this year, photos of the cast in their superhero gear had the online world geeking out something wicked. Here are some pics of Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach (Left to right).



Take a look at some comic/film comparisons of a couple of iconic panels. So far, it's looking pretty awesome.

Here is Rorschach walking through the streets of New York:

And here is Rorschach setting a cop on fire:

Rorschach is awesome.

Now, the rumour is that the teaser trailer will be attached to The Dark Knight. If not, then it should definitely be ready by Comic Con later this month.

As of this point on, consider us on Watchmen-watch. With a release date of March 6th, 2009, that gives everyone approximately 9 months to get acquainted.

... well, what are you still doing here.

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Dexter Hits Free-To-Air

Some of you may have caught the first episode of Dexter on TV on Sunday night, and if you're anything like me, then nothing will stand in the way of finding out what happens next. It's the sort of show that leaves you hanging for more, and anyone who has had the pleasure of watching it on DVD will testify that much like eating Pringles, it's hard to stop, when any more is available.

For those of you who don't want to wait til next sunday to continue watching, the whole first season is available from our library, and with Season 2 being released on 21st August, you may as well get ahead of the water cooler conversations by watching it all uncut and sans ads.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Dexter is a blood spatter expert with the Miami Police Dept by day, and serial killer of those who slipped through the net by night. It is both darkly comedic and gruesomely real, and Michael C. Hall, who played gay undertaker David in Six Feet Under plays Dexter with award-worthy and gleeful relish.
This is the best TV show I have seen since Six Feet Under, and is highly recommended.

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5 July 2008

Hancock - Review

Hancock - Starring Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman. Directed by Peter Berg. Rated M for violence and coarse language. 92 mins.

There is a scene in Will Smith's latest blockbuster, where the film's misunderstood superhero threatens to insert a prison inmate's head up another inmate's ... well, back entrance. That he does it is no surprise, as we've already spent half-an-hour in this foul-mouthed, unhinged, alcoholic hero's presence. It's that director Peter Berg feels the need to SHOW it that truly left me unsettled. I don't know what to tell you except, yes, it looks exactly as you would imagine. Strangely, that scene is this film in a nutshell: Funny, exciting and full of new ideas. But then we see too much, and it becomes tragic, and oddly haunting.

I think I've started this review wrong - however, this is a very difficult film to talk about. It is not the goofball superhero comedy implied by the trailer; well certainly not after the first half hour. To truly look at what is wrong and what is right with this movie would mean spoiling the (for lack of a better word) "twist" that comes halfway through, and I'm not willing to do that.

Anyway, Smith plays John Hancock, a Los Angeles vagrant with amazing superpowers. Although he wants to help people, he leaves a greater trail of destruction than any criminal could attempt to imagine. Then he saves the life of Ray Embrey (Bateman), a bleeding-heart PR man who wants to reinvent Hancock's image and remind L.A. how lucky they are to have their very own superhero. Eventually, Hancock meet's Ray's wife Mary (Theron), and she DEFINITELY doesn't want him around.

And then the film takes a major left turn from which it never returns. Whether you enjoy this movie or not will depend on how willing you are to follow the major plot developments in the third act. I, for one, was willing to accept the plot shift, although I would not be surprised if many others don't. I have a sad feeling that Hancock, the story of the misunderstood and hated hero, will become the misunderstood and hated film of 2008.

The cast is certainly not to blame. Smith is probably the most bankable star in Hollywood right now, and he never phones it in. He gives a nuanced performance as John Hancock, just as he did in I Am Legend last year. Jason Bateman is given a part slightly closer to that leading man role he really deserves, and Charlize Theron is fine, despite her sorely underwritten character.

The script is surprisingly good considering the usual thoughtless superhero fodder. Originally written in 1996 by Vy Vincent Ngo under the title Tonight, He Comes, the film has been through countless rewrites and re-edits to the final version we've got today. Considering this, it's no surprise the ending lacks cohesion - but as a whole, it holds up surprisingly well.

The problem is unfortunately with director Peter Berg, who filmed this straight after making The Kingdom ... and it shows. The uncomfortable close-ups, the odd shifts in tone - he carries these flaws like calling cards, constantly reminding us whenever the film falls flat, that he is directly to blame.

But I'm not going to hate on the movie anymore, because I'm sure the internet will be flooded with anti-Hancock sentiment over the next few weeks. The truth is, I really liked this movie, despite its obvious problems. I guess it was just nice to see a film that didn't try to be like anything else, and really shot for the stars. Even though it failed, you've still got to admire the despised superhero who still tries to save the world.

And if you're still not willing to forgive Hancock, and least there is the scene where he shoves a guy's head up another guy's butt.

3/5.

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3 July 2008

First Look at American Kath and Kim

source: news.com.au
Here is the first picture of Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as Kath & Kim in the U.S adaptation of the hit aussie show.

The new American version will still focus on the same basic story of perky Kath and her spoilt daughter Kim. It will be set in the suburbs of Florida.

It's clear that the duo will remain as unfortunately-clothed as their predecessors, albeit with a slightly more U.S feel.

Blair (Hellboy, Legally Blonde) recently defended the show at the Hellboy 2 premiere in L.A, as Australian bloggers claim this new version will "ruin" the original.

Note to bloggers: Chill ... out. Kath & Kim isn't exactly The Godfather. Kath & Kim isn't even The Godfather Part 3. I think it's safe to say that a remake won't exactly destroy television as we know it.

While Kath & Kim is a great show (and well-loved for many, many reasons) I have complete faith in this U.S reboot. Anyone who has seen Molly Shannon's work on Saturday Night Live knows she is a hilarious lady, and John Michael Higgins (Best in Show, Arrested Development) will be hilarious as Kath's man Phil (nee Kel).

The remake is being developed by Ben Silverman at NBC, who also remade The Office for American television. Now the original Office is one of the greatest show's ever. Silverman managed to successfully translate the subtleties of that show into a U.S version, and now the Steve Carell helmed Office is both critically acclaimed and adored by its audience.

Sure, not everything successful needs to be remade (Halloween, The Wicker Man). But if done by professionals with great care, I say let them do what they want.

And by the way Australia - remember when we tried our own version of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Who's ashamed now?

Kath & Kim will air later this year.

Check out the Kath and Kim back catalogue at our Girl's Night In collection.

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Elementary, my dear......um, Borat!

Source: Empire Magazine
It has been revealed that Sacha Baron Cohen will step out alongside Will Ferrell, in a Judd Apatow and Etan Cohen (no relation to either Ethan & Joel or Sacha, but co-writer of Tropic Thunder) penned version of Sherlock Holmes. Cohen will play the super-sleuth Holmes and Ferrell his sidekick, Dr Watson.

Following the success of their pairing in Talladega Nights, this movie is bound to be highly anticipated, especially considering it will be going head-to-head with a Guy Ritchie version of the same story. There is no doubt that one of these versions will take itself far more seriously than the other, but it will be interesting to see how things pan out; can Guy Ritchie make a long-awaited return to form after his much hyped Revolver failed to earn a release in Australia, or will Hollywood's hottest comic property continue his barnstorming run to ultimate super-greatness? Only time will tell, but my money is on Apatow/Cohen/Ferrell to recreate some of the onscreen chemistry that led to moments like this at the MTV Awards.

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2 July 2008

Pain At The Pump for The Dark Knight

All around the world, news of Heath Ledger's standout performance in The Dark Knight is making headlines. Meanwhile, there has been little sympathy for Batman himself as petrol prices around the world soar. Few people know that the Batmobile has a 5.7 litre Chevy powering the 16 foot long and 9 foot wide beast, it also has 44 inch wide rear tyres and can only get about 7 miles to the gallon.


In an attempt to keep costs down on the next installment of what is fast becoming the world's biggest movie franchise, it is rumoured that the Batmobile will be downsized to fit in better with the current economic climate, and we will see the Dark Knight driving around in one of these.

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1 July 2008

New Dark Knight Trailer - Officially Better Than Sliced Bread

source: youtube.com

Domino's Pizza (?) has released one final trailer for The Dark Knight, featuring some new footage of Heath Ledger as The Joker.

Please enjoy.



Reviews have begun to trickle in for the latest Batman installment - and they're absolutely gushing with praise:

Todd Gilchrist at ign.com:
"There really is no better way to describe The Dark Knight than to call it a great work of art because it transcends both the boundaries of comic book moviemaking and even the parameters of good filmmaking."

Emmanuel Levy at emmanuellevy.com:
"Dark, grim, haunting and visionary, "The Dark Knight" is nothing short of brilliant, the best and scariest comic hero adaptation you are likely to see this summer season, and perhaps during the whole year."

Peter Travers at rollingstone.com:
"The haunting and visionary Dark Knight soars on the wings of untamed imagination. It's full of surprises you don't see coming. And just try to get it out of your dreams."

It is so cruel that we have to wait a full TWO WEEKS for this film to come out.

And no, I can't promise that this will be the last Dark Knight post before then.

Check out our Superhero Supersite to check out everything Batman related.

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