Thursday 23 April 2009

New live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 5 film in the works

After the influx of CGI movies and the relative success of the fourth on screen outing for the heroes in a half shell (2007's TMNT), many children of the 90's had given up hope of ever seen a live action 'Turtles' film again.

However , exciting reports are coming in today that suggest the fifth chapter in the saga , due for release in 2011, will mark a return to live-action for Leonardo, Rafael, Michelangelo and Donatello.

Even more exciting is how the characters may develop thanks to modern technology. Its been rumoured that CGI will still be used on the characters but only to replace the faces and make them more emotive. This is great news as it capitalises on modern technology but does not lose the appeal of live-action that has long been missing from children's action films.

The announcement of the fifth films production has coincided with the 25th anniversary celebrations taking place at New York's Tribeca Film Festival, whom are showing the original Teenge Mutant Ninja Turtles film today to mark the occasion.

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Fighting - TRAILER

Starring : Channing Tatum


Fast and Furious - REVIEW






The Fast and the Furious was an unexpected smash hit in 2001. It didnt exactly creep up on the competition though, it blew them away. Many wrote it off as an immature flick for petrol heads, but those who watched the film found it had so much more. The movie rebooted the racer film to almost the same effect The Matrix had on the science fiction genre. An influx of copycat films (such as the awful Biker Boyz and Torque) found their way to the screen and the careers of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel were thrust into the limelight. And then the base died down, the NOS ran out and the engines began to stall. Eight years and three films later the original cast has returned for the first time to attempt to re-egnite the franchise and in the process their own careers. So does it work ? well yes and no.

The original sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious was hit and miss. It didnt have the same appeal as the original, the driving force of the relationship between Dom (Diesel) and Brian (Walker) was missing as were key players Jordanna Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez. Its a shame the likes of Tyrese Gibson and Evan Mendes have not joined the party in '4' to link the first two films to this outing, but in retrospect both there careers seem to have gone from strength to strength so its not suprising they are absent.

Let's get one thing straight from the off so fans who have been worrying can ease their fears, this is no Fast and the Furious 3 : Tokyo Drift style massacre. Despite sharing the same director in Justin Lin, thankfully thats all the films have in common (not including a nicely weaved cameo appearance from Sung Kang). Right from the get go this feels like a Fast and the Furious film, Diesel and co rocketing down a hi-way looking to re-inact the job that went wrong at the end of the first film. You would have thought they would have learnt by now....

What made the first film so enthrawling was it had the plot and characters to care about aswell as cars and babes to gawk at. To be a true sequel to the original the cast would not only have to be back but the scrpit would have to go back to basics and make us care about the characters again. Vin slips straight back into the role that made him famous, he may be a bigger name in hollywood than when he burst onto the scene in Pitch Black but most of his movies of recent times have bombed such as his latest failure Babylon a.d. But Dom is like second nature to Diesel, he plays the character with such a blend of inner angst and melancholoy its easy to see why the role boosted his career so well in the first place, and why he has returned to him. Paul Walker's character Brian gives the movie its first downfall. After the first outing it was still somewhat realistic in 2Fast, he chose to join the boy-racer scene and quit being a cop but was hauled in undercover with the chance to clear his record. Now with next to no explanation as to why or how , Brian is a FBI agent. Not only has he been allowed to get back into Police work but apparantly he has been able to get a job not many straight and narrow police officers would ever have a chance at. At least Jordanna Brewster's Mia remains consistant, she was a pretty distraction in the first film, who did little for the story but tie loose ends together and give more important characters reason to develop together. Now in Fast and Furious her character is back to do the exact same job, its dissapointing her two-dimensions are never tested, but its a comfortable and tried and tested formula that not too many will complain about.



Suprisingly, Michelle Rodriguez does not have the role one would presume. Letty is still integral to Fast and Furious' story but not in the way one would imagine. This review will not contain any spoilers to the film but Letty's role as the story progresses is a suprising one, which actually makes a very intresting change of tone for the film. This gives it an added grit that has not been present since the first outing, which suggests the makers have succeeded in producing a true sequel using the 'original parts'. Dont take this the wrong way, its still an uncomplex, adrenaline fueled , shameless thrill ride aimed predominantly at young males; but once again we have characters we want to survive the mass car crashes and smashes. The main worry for fans was that this would just be a 2hour homage to the original film but this is not the case with only onvery nice refrence to 'owing 10 second' cars thrown in for good measure.

So with all that promise and things done right, what possibly could Fast and Furious get wrong ? Well the villains of the movie are very poor. The action scenes involving them are good but there is no reasoning or hidden menace to the bad guys, they are just present as a reason to bring everyone back together. The film is as you would expect like a drag race in terms of narrative, very straight forward. The good guys are good, the bad guys are bad and nobody really develops on screen through the course of the film. Whats more upsetting is the frustrating ending that flirts with brilliance so closely, but right at the last minute will leave people sighing not again more than it will leave those itching with excitement and anticipation.

Overall in the grander scale of things these are minor quibbles however. This is a very flawed film there is no doubt, but since when was any Fast and Furious a perfection in film making ? The premise of this movie was to erase the bad memories of the awful third film and inject some revitalisation to the stagnating franchise ; and it does this with ease giving fans a true sequel to enjoy. The only major disappointment is the constant feeling that in truth , this should have been made years ago. It is unlikely to put the careers of those involved back into the mainstream the way the original film did, and in all honesty this film is still not a patch on the original, but this is the closest it has been to recapturing the magic that made The Fast and the Furious so successful in the first place. It's only a matter of time before a fifth film is made but only time will tell if the formula used here is continued or if the series decends back into madness. Who knows what it will be called now all the 'the's' have been dropped (fast/furious perhaps ?), but after working so hard to get back in the race here's hoping the franchise doesnt crash again. If the film makers are wise they will keeps their eyes on the prize having been given an unlikely second chance to catch up.


Action Flicks Rating 7/10








First pics of Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier sequel

Here is the first screenshot released from Universal Soldier: The Next Generation, the sequel to the popular 1992 action blockbuster Universal Soldier.

There have been further Universal Soldier movies since the original, but like Fast and Furious re-teamed its original cast earlier this year, so does "next generation".

With both Dolph Lundgren and Jean Claude Van damme reprising their roles as Andrew Scott and Luc Devereaux respectively, could this be the true sequel many fans thought would never happen ?

IGN released this exclusive photo from the principle photography of the film, and now we have it here for you to check out. Just click on the image on the left to enlarge it.

Add your thoughts below

Thursday 9 April 2009

Ralph Fiennes joins Clash of the Titans Remake


As we previously reported the cast for the remake of Clash of the Titans is coming together and there is more news on this today.


Critically acclaimed actor Ralph Fiennes is in advanced talks to take up a key role in the film and star as the god of the underworld hades. Fiennes has played key villains before in movies such as Lord Voldermort in the Harry Potter franchise and the cannibal Francis Dolahyde Red Dragon .

The greek epic Clash of the Titans focuses on the tale of Perseus (sam worthington) as he battles the monsters of the underworld in order to save the love of his life and learn more about his place in the world.

Public Enemies - New Trailer

Starring Christian Bale and Johnny Depp

Saturday 4 April 2009

Clash of the Titans remake casting coming together

As much as Ray Harryhausen stop motion movies are beloved to this day its not suprising in todays remake culture that many of the old monster movies are being touted for remakes. One film that has got us very excited since its proposal is "Clash of the Titans" . The greek mythological tale is of the warrior Perseus and features legendary creatures like the evil Medusa and famous flying horse Pegasus. The film first hit screens in 1981 starring Harry Hamlin (see picture left). The new film is scheduled for a release date on the 26th of March 2010 and will begin shooting in the United Kingdom next month.

In recent days the cast list has begun to be announced and consists of some popular names but there is still some major casting to go before the film takes off. Terminator Salvation star Sam Worthington has signed on to play lead character Perseus, one of the sons of the king of the gods Zeus, a half mortal hero who is trying to find his place in the world.


It wouldnt be suprising at this rate if Daniel Craig was to be announced in a role in the film. Two former Bond Actors were recentley reported to have joined Greek Mythology film Percey Jackson, and now many of the newley confirmed cast announced for Titans have worked on a Bond or with the British actor in the past few years. James Bond actors Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) and Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace) , have both joined the cast in recent days and are set to play warrior Draco and goddess Io respectivley. Alexa Davalos, who starred alongside Craig in Defiance has bagged the female lead as Princess Andromedda, the love of Perseus who must be saved from the terryfying Kraken Monster.

Liam Neeson was rumoured to be the front runner to play Zeus but after the tragic death of his wife, it is unknown who will eventually be cast in the role. Who knows, maybe Sean Bean (who has already played greek mythological character Odyseus in Troy) will carry his role over as king of the gods in "Percy Jackson" and sustain the role for"Clash of the Titans" ???

Fans who are worried at the prospect of a remake can take heart in the fact the film is being directed by Louis Leteriere, who successfully rebooted the incredible hulk franchise last year.

What do you think about the casting ? should classics like this even be remade with modern visual effects or will the film lose its appeal ? add your thoughts below

Thursday 26 March 2009

How makers of Tekken hope the film will break the video game adaptation curse

Kelly Wagner, casting director for the movie Tekken has told Sci Fi that in casting the team looked for actors who could fight and also act so to avoid hammy acting and poor fight choreography and finally break the curse of video game adaptations, that so far have never really transfered well to film.

"One of the most frustrating things is when you're watching a movie, and it's so obvious that your actor's not doing the physicality," said Wagner. Jin Kazama, played by Jon Foo, is the lead character and thus had to epitomise the casting strategy. Foo has a histroy in Thai martial-arts cinema. "We found him in Thailand," Wagner said. "He sent a tape in from Thailand that he had filmed of himself, and then we flew him out here for a screen test."

For some of the supporting roles, fighting seems to have worryingly been put on an higher pedistall than acting"We used a lot of real martial artists in that," Wagner said. "We used Cung Le, who's a UFC fighter. We used a bunch of martial artists that didn't need to have as much of acting roles as they did, but our lead, Jin, had to be able to do both. That movie was pretty tough to cast because there was a good five or six roles. The leading roles needed to be really stellar actors, because it's a drama piece, but at the same time, we wanted to find people who could legitimately do their martial arts."

so is this a good sign or will Tekken suffer from the same shortcomings as previous adaptaions such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter ?


Add your thoughts below

Former Bond duo sign on to join "Percy Jackson" project

You may remember a little while ago it was reported Logan Lerman and Brandon T Jackson have been cast to star in the Lightening Thief adaptation "Percy Jackson".

Not much more was announced from Fox until now, it seems they have been very busy behind closed doors at least in the casting department.


Goldeneye co-stars Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan have both signed on to play Greek Gods Chiron and Zeus respectively. Kill Bill actress Uma Thurman has also joined the project and is set to play the famous gorgon Medusa.

Melina Kanakerides and Kevin McKidd are said to have negotiated deals to play Athena and Poseidon.

Whilst this is good news the casting isnt complete yet, with roles still open for key characters such as Ares, Hades and Persephone.



What do you think of the casting for Pecry Jackson ? add a comment

Wednesday 25 March 2009

Crank 2 trailer gets flash website


The first trailer for Crank 2 has undergone some fancy new treatment. After the success of interactive sites like Watchmen 6 minutes to midnight, the latest Jason Statham flick has had its original trailer set up in a new way.
The trailer remains the same but as events unfold on screen your browser reacts to whats on screen.
This helps to provide an intresting new take on audience immersion.

you can check out the inteactive site by clicking here.
What do you think about interactive trailers for films like this ?
add your thoughts below

Tuesday 24 March 2009

Angelina Jolie in talks for next Bond film ?

Tomb Raider co-stars Angelina Jolie and Daniel Craig may be set to rekindle their onscreen partnership if rumours are to be believed.

The Insider has revealed that Mrs Brad Pitt "met with James Bond producers over the weekend, expressing her interest in joining the franchise. The only hitch, Angelina would be a reoccurring character, instead of just appearing in one movie."

Rather Ironically it would seem her main competition for a role in the film comes from her husbands ex wife, Jennifer Aniston. The Marley and Me Actress, known best for her role as Rachel in Friends, has also been linked with the lead female role for Bond 23 in recent days.

Saturday 21 March 2009

Stallone forced to listen to backlash over Whitaker's Expendables replacement - Fiddy out Crews in

It was recently announced 50 cent would be replacing Forest Whitaker in Stallone's Expendables project to the disgruntlement of many looking forward to the film. Well it seems for once, fan reaction has made a difference with Stallone apparantly set to change his mind again.

Stallone came out with support for "Fiddy" the other day telling his forums, "The anger of the casting of 50 Cent is understandable, but not fair. A player is only as good as his coach. If a man can communicate in one medium, he can communicate in another if his strengths are brought out and he has the support of well-wishers. So, trust me, the change of Forest Whitaker to 50 Cent AKA Curtis Jackson is a good one."

But this didnt stop legions of fans in their slating of the rapper turned actor, many fearing a repeat of his poor performance in get rich or die trying would ruin the expendables credibility. With so many big names already attached did the film really need someone getting so much negative feedback already ?

Obviously Stallone has had a change of heart and decided his homecoming movie of hollywood greats is too important to jepodise.

The more commercially popular Terry Crews , who has starred in films such as the longest yard and terminator salvation, has been cast in the role both Whitaker and 50 cent previously occupied. Whether this remains to be the case only time will tell !

Are you happier to see Crews replace Whitaker or should Fiddy have been given a chance ?

add your thoughts below.

Friday 20 March 2009

TEKKEN UPDATE - More behind the scenes pics surface online

A little while back the first pictures of TEKKEN , the namco video game adaptation were released. Since then not alot more has been heard of the film that has been anticipated by fans since the release of the street fighter and mortal kombat movies in the 90's.

Finally,some more pictures have surfaced online. Cung Le, who plays Martial Law, recently removed a picture from his myspace site of him in character but luckily we have it here on the left. Click the image to see full size.

But this is not all. For a whole bunch of pictures from behind the scenes on the set of the movie, and what looks like a fighting arena, check out the tekken corp profile on imageshack.

Crank 2 High Voltage - Brand New RESTRICTED TRAILER

Starring: Jason Statham

Released: April 17th 2009

Thursday 19 March 2009

Tom Cruise on Mission : Impossible 4

AICN is reporting Tom Cruise was on the SMAP SMAP program in Japan, and revealed the Mission Impossible franchise is to continue in his name. Rumours had been rife that Brad Pitt was set to take over from Cruise but the man himself has revealed that he has started work on the fourth installment and says he is working on the story right now.
Is this good news or would you rather see Pitt in a Mission Impossible movie, or perhaps, both Cruise and Pitt together ?

add your thoughts below

Forest Whitaker out of Expendables - 50 Cent replaces


Oscar winning actor Forest Whitaker has been forced to quit his role in Sylvester Stallone's highly anticipated Expendables film. Stallone has decided to keep the role in the film and has replaced Whitaker with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson (get rich or die trying).


This may seem a strange move to some, replacing an academy winner with a rapper turned actor, but it fits in to Stallone's wish to make the film a "homecoming of tough guys".


It was recently revealed that the movie has a scheduled release date of April 23rd 2010.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Natasha Richardson Dies in Skiing Accident

Natasha Richardson , The British Actress and Wife of Actor Liam Neeson has died at the age of 45. She died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident.


Richardson was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and is best known for roles in films such as the Parent trap with Lindsey Lohan. Richardson is said to have fallen on a slope at the Mont Tremblant resort in Canada on Monday, which resulted in her sustaining head injuries. She passed away on Wednesday night.


Liam Neeson's Publicist has said that the family are devastated by the death of their "beloved Natasha".

She died in a New York hospital where she had been transferred to following the accident.


You can read the BBC's report (with video) by clicking here

Paramount says Transformers 3 in 2011 - Michael Bay disagrees

Paramount have announced that Transformers 3 is scheduled to be released in July 2011 but this may get pushed back another year if they want to keep hold of the first two films director Michael Bay.

Hours after the announcement Bay told his official forums "Im taking off a year from Transformers, Paramount has made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 - they asked me on the phone - I said yes to July 4 - but for 2012 - whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots."

So what it comes down to now is whether this is a simple misunderstanding or whether either Bay or Paramount will have to compromise if the partnership is to be rekindled for the third film in the trilogy.
Bay is currently putting the finishes touches on Transformers 2 which does have a confirmed release date of 26th June 2009

Stallone's Expendables release date revealed


It has been announced that Sylvester Stallone's film "The Expendables" will hit cinema's on April 23rd, 2010.


Stallone wrote is producing and will star in the movie. Alongside the Rambo and Rocky man, there will be roles for Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name a few.

It was recently announced that Stone Cold Steve Austin has also joined the cast.


The Film is said to be about a group of mercenaries attempting to overthrow a South American dictator.

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Robert Rodriguez confirms Sin City 2 return

Robert Rodriguez has confirmed his involvement in the up and coming Sin City sequel but has warned it will take a while before fans will see the film.

"I always say Sin City 2 is right around the corner, because that's what everybody wants to hear and I like pleasing the audience," he said, adding: "It might be a long corner."

Sunday 15 March 2009

Matt Damon confirms Bourne 4 , with Paul Greengrass set to helm

Matt Damon has confirmed he and "Bourne Ultimatum" director Paul Greengrass will return for a fourth Bourne film. Damon had previously stated that he would not return to the franchise after the third installment and that he felt the series should closen as a trilogy.

However, luckily for fans, The Departed actor seems to have had a change of heart and has told Parade magazine he will probably be back as Jason Bourne again.

But the project is still in its early stages and will likely not go in front of the cameras for a while yet. Damon told Parade, "We're working on it. This time it would be from an original script rather than a book by Robert Ludlum," he said. "But the director Paul Greengrass is busy and I am too, so we'll see what happens."

Are you happy the Bourne saga will be continuing, and has Damon made the right choice to return as the super spy ? add your thoughts below.

Saturday 14 March 2009

Latest Terminator 4 Salvation Promo

This is the brand new Terminator Salvation poster released by Warner bros. The poster depicts a large Terminator in an oppressive position (thanks to the nicely panned up camera) with other Terminators backing him up in the background.

The most intriguing feature is the detail of the Terminators as they looks intricatley different to any other machines seen so far in the franchise, further evidence of the wider variation of Terminator's that will be seen in the actual fourth film. The trailers released so far show many different machines including a Terminator bike and a extremely large robot seemingly capturing humans.

The tag line for the poster reads "We Fight Back".

Click the poster to enlarge it.

Terminator 4 hits theatres on the 21st of May 2009.

Friday 13 March 2009

Stone Cold Steve Austin joins Sylvester Stallone's Expendables


Former WWE wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin has joined Sylvester Stallone's Expendables Project.
Steve Austin's previously film credits include a prison guard in Adam Sandler's The Longest Yard and the starring role in WWE films The Condemned opposite Vinnie Jones.
Stallone is trying to bring together as many heavyweights of yester year as possible in the cast he is calling a "homecoming" of hard men.
So far the cast list is already comprised of Sly, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Angel and Buffy actress Charisma Carpenter.
Jean Claude Van Damme was also offered a role by Stallone but he subsequently turned it down.
The film is scheduled for a 2010 release date.

Jon Favreau to start filming Iron Man 2 in 2 weeks and then helm The Avengers

Jon Favreau is set to be a very busy director. Marvel were so happy with the direction of the blockbuster hit Iron Man, the sequel has been moved forward and will begin filming in two weeks time after which, Favreau will be entrusted with Marvels biggest film to date, The Avengers.

The Avengers" release date was recently pushed back by Marvel from July 15th, 2011 by almost a year to May 4th, 2012. AICN is reporting that Marvel is wants Favreau to direct "The Avengers and without the date change, it would be impossible for him to finish Iron Man 2 and still have time to take on the multi-superhero film.


This doesn't mean that Favreau has already negotiated a deal, it just means that he if he wants to take on "The Avengers," he will be able to. Its likely Favreau will end up taking the job as he has expressed interest to do so in the past.


Furthermore Gwyneth Paltrow who will reprise her role as Pepper Potts in Iron Man 2 , let slip on her GOOP site she "can't wait to start (Iron Man 2) in two weeks and hang out with him every day." Its a good thing Favareau got on well with Robert Downey JR on Iron Man, because if he chooses to accept it, he looks set to be directing him more and more for the forseeable future with the Iron Man a big part of the Avengers Project.


Iron Man 2 is now scheduled to be appearing in theaters on May 7th, 2010.

Thursday 12 March 2009

Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke sign on for Iron Man 2


Rumours have been hitting fever pitch ever since Samuel L Jackson confirmed his role of Nicky Fury for Iron Man 2 at whether Mickey Rourke would accept Marvel's offer to join Jackson and who would be cast as the Black Widow. Thankfully it would seem both questions have been answered at once.
DeadlineHollywoodDaily has confirmed the casting of Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johannson in the sequel, which is set to hit theaters on May 7th, 2010.
It has not been verified yet, but it seems that Rourke will end up playing the Russian comic book villain Crimson Dynamo.
Scarlett Johansson has now officially replaced Emily Blunt as the Russian superspy Natasha Romanoff , the Black Widow. Eliza Dushku had stated her desire to play the role but Marvel have opted for the Spirit actress instead.

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Watchmen - REVIEW

If you want to read a fully educated comic book fanatics review of the most celebrated "graphic novel" of all time, you may aswell stop now. I have never seen/heard of the Watchmen comic book before the release of this film and im not going to bullshit anyone otherwise. I did however catch director Zach Snyder's 300 adaptation and it happens to be one of my favourite films. Many reviews have posted that you have to almost have a degree in Watchmen-ology to understand this film, and whilst il agree it certainly must help tie a few things up, fundamentally it doesnt stop you enjoying what is a brilliant, entertaining story.

This is by no means perfect and certainly not the omega of comic book films fanboys were crying out for, there will still be just as many people out there who love Spiderman and the Xmen et al more than these currently lesser known commodeties. But full credit in my opinion has to go to the director Zach Snyder. You cant please everyone, but boy does he try. The film is not short, an arse numbing 3hours almost, and by the end attention spans would be forgiven to wander. But what Snyder does produce is a film that packs in as much detail of each major player as possible, without taking away from the singular narrative. Their is a common story, the war of capitalism against communism, that ties everyone together, but what this really is, is an ensemble piece that (though set in a parallel universe) makes importanat political comment on our own views of life, love, death, war, peace and what it is to be human.

But all the credit cant just go to the director. The cast is made up of relative unknowns , some are off key, Patrick Wilsons Night Owl seems like a poor-mans Batman after the Dark Knight, and Malin Akerman's Slik Spectre is like a hash between X-mens Rogue and Trinity from the Matrix. Needless to say the love story between these two characters is not the most gripping relationship element of the film. Others though give performances so gripping it makes this feel like a genuine deep catalogue of characters rather than lifted players from a comic book page. But its Jackie Earle Haley's Rorschach that steals the show. His performance as the man with the ink -blotted mask is so engaging and perfect on tone with his character that it is reminiscent of when Hugh Jackman first played Wolverine in the original X-Men. His monologues that tie the film together after the death of the comedian, have more than a hint than Sin City's Marv to them, which can never be a bad thing.

Watchmen can be confusing at times but by the end all the important plot elements come together and the conclusion feels more satisfying than some long winded epics that just fizzle out. Certain characters will seem distant to the viewer throughout but in Dr Manhatten's (BIlly Crudup)case this is perfect and makes his slip away from humanity all the more believable. What is most impressive over the course of the film however is how it does what it set out to do and provides something different unseen in a comic book adaptation before. Comic book films often always fall into set categories, "bubble gum" style heroics in eleaborate costumes aimed at kids, similar flicks with a little splash of sex or violence for teens or realistic and grityy full blood and guts "how revolting can we be with our 18 certificate" mahem strichtly for adults. Watchemen manages to combine costumed hero's with depth and at times humour with this adult orientated graphc nature. The Dark Knight raised the bar on character depth and story telling for comic book films and thankfully Watchmen doesnt resort back to previous form, it looks onwards and up. The film has all the gore and bloodshed you would expect from the early Blade installments but doesnt become a film dependent on this to satisfy the audience. This is used to dramatic effect rather than as a repeated mechanism and thus it makes the events when they happen more impactful.

Watchmen is not your typical mind numbing entertainment, this is not a regular comic book = flying around and blowing stuff up marathon. It is an intelligent and relentless film that questions the audience as much as it provides eye candy for them. It provides entertainment for a variety of diffent genre lovers and against what some would have you believe is accessible to people who have never read a comic in their life. I cannot say how truthful it remains to the novel having never read it, but my only criticism of the film is that it sometimes feels a little stretched with many scenes included that could easily have been cut. In such places i cant help but wonder if scenes remained through fear of fan wrath at their removal, but for me they drag on the narrative when it doesnt need to be.

All in all Watchmen is a very enjoyable film, its not quite a masterpiece but it has cult classic written all over it. It definitly will not be everyones cup of tea, especially those who have gotten used to watching generic comic book films churned out by the studios every year and are expecting the same stuff here. The Visuals are stunning and the story telling is engaging even if a little perplexing. But given a chance and an open mind, Watchmen proves itself to be a thouroghly enjoyable film, comic book fan or not.

Action Flicks Rating 8 / 10

Fantastic Four to be remade - AlLREADY ???

According to IESB, 20th Century Fox is looking to start the franchise from scratch and will not bring back any of the stars of the first two films. Sorry boys , that includes Jessica Alba.

The studio is planning to go in a "less bubble gum" direction which is a good thing, but still not be as dark as "The Dark Knight" which is bad, that was still only a 12a after all.

More in the mould of Iron Man seems to be the order of the day but is it too early to be rebooting this franchise? Rise of the silver surfer is still fresh in many peoples minds so why recreate a franchise that is still finding its feet ?
Surely it would make more sense to make a sequel with a darker story and tone with the characters already built in the first two installments. It seems strange the origin of the four could be gone over again already, and even stranger if the cast will be replaced but the film be a sequel.

That said it did not stop the Incredible Hulk being rebooted again last year a mere 5 years after the release of Ang lee's Hulk. As bad as the 4 franchise may be its not on that same scale of rubbish as Ang's arty but boring take on the big green geezer and the reboot was welcome.

So will the studio be pulling off a coup or is it a big mistake ?

Add your thoughts belo.

Monday 9 March 2009

Nick Nolte signs on for "WARRIOR"


Lionsgate and director Gavin O'Connor have set Nick Nolte, Tom Hardy Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Morrison to star in "Warrior," a drama set in the world of mixed martial arts fighting.


Nick Nolte plays an ex-Vietnam vet boxer, now a remorseful dad who trains his son to compete in a mixed martial arts tournament.


He and his rogue older brother are st to collide in the ring.

the film is scheduled for a 2010 release date.

Sunday 8 March 2009

Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time - Jake Gyllenhall Photo


Here is the first look at Jake Gyllenhall in the upcoming Prince of Persia film based on the best selling video game.


Video game adaptations have very rarely if ever made good films, so hopes are'nt too high, but Gyllenhall certainly looks the part.


Click the photo to enlarge it


What do you think ? add a comment.


Friday 6 March 2009

Star Trek - BRAND NEW TRAILER 3/5/09

Starring : Chris Pine Eric Bana Zacchary Quinto
Released: May 8th 2009

Thursday 5 March 2009

Transformers 2 - Michael Bay finally confirms Megatron returns


For a very long time now after leaked concept art and merchandise toys etc it has been heavily speculated that Megatron would return in the upcoming Transformers sequel Revenge of the Fallen.

Hugo Weaving , the voice of the decepticon in the first film, revealed yesterday that he has already recorded his voice over for the second installment and gave a clue as to how Megatron may make his return saying "doesn't Optimus Prime pick up a little bit of, a little shard of the cube, or the thing that's left, and he takes it with him. Maybe there's something there".

With such concrete evidence as this from the actor himself even Michael Bay, who has admitted he will tell both truth and lies about rumours in the run up to the film , could not hide one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood anymore. Well not exactly. Bay admitted "Okay cat is out of the bag," he said. "Megatron is back - but you will only get to see him from the long lost past. We go way back in time as this movie explains the mythology of the Primes. He is not a tank like everyone suggests." This is probably a lie as it would seem Weaving recorded a voice over that involves Megatron's resurrection.

That said it seems very likely every leaked piece of art and comment we have heard on this subject has been fabricated by Bay himself to add hype to the film. It wouldnt suprise me if Megatron doesnt appear as a tank at all and this was created with the intention of stirring up fan hype.

Give the man Bay his credit though, he knows how to advertise his movie !

X-men Origins - WOLVERINE - BRAND NEW TRAILER

Sin City 2 - Rosario Dawson back but her face may not be !!!

Rosario Dawson, who has been cast to reprise her role of Gail in "Sin City 2,"has revealed that she'll have a new accessory when the new film finally comes to fruitition. Dawson lovers may not be happy to hear her admit "I get to wear a mask in this one,".

The aim is to start shooting the sequel to the stylish original this year. According to the internet movie database Dawson, Clive Owen, Jamie King, Devon Aoki, Michael Clark Duncan and Jessica Alba to name a few are all set to reprise their roles from the previous installment.

The story of "Sin City 2," "A Dame to Kill For," is set during the events of "The Hard Goodbye," one of the shorts in the original .

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Public Enemies - TRAILER

Starring : Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Released : July 3rd 2009


Ghostbusters 3 is happening ! but Judd Apatow may not be involved


For a long time now fans have been crying out for a sequel to the much loved hit Ghostbusters . Successfull cartoon and video game sequels of the to the two 80's movies have maintained interest in the iconic franchise despite the last film in the series being released 20 years ago. With two decades having past it was looking unlikely that the trilogy would ever be completed, until now.
Whether Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson will be asked to return remains to be seen but the members of the old cast are all said to be quite interested in the project and keen on reprising their roles. Fans may not be happy at the idea of a new era with younger actors rebranding the franchise but recently this has been all the rage in hollywood so dont rule it out just yet.


One man who wont be involved is Judd Apatow, recent rumours suggested the Superbad creator may be attached to the project but according to the president of Columbia Pictures: "it's not true. We have some great new writers working on a new script, but Judd isn't involved."

Kevin Smith and Bruce Willis comedy "Couple of Dicks" reeled back by Warner Bros


We reported the other day that Bruce Willis was set to star as a cop again in comedy film "couple of dicks". Dont worry, Willis is still set to star in the film but the title has been changed by Warner Bros.


The studio were worried about the film not seeming audience friendly and have subsequently changed the title. The film, directed by Kevin Smith, will now be called "A couple of cops" instead.


Is this a bit ridiculous or a good move by Warner Bros?
Add a comment.


Leonardo Di Caprio to star in Christopher Nolans "Inception"


Leonardo DiCaprio will star in "Inception," the science-fiction film that Christopher Nolan will direct .

DiCaprio's deal is in final negotiations, the script has been kept secret but Warner Bros are advertising it as a contemporary sci-fi actioner .

The same deal for "Inception" between Nolan and Warners also contains an agreement for Nolan to direct the third Batman movie. It is expected that "The Dark Knight" follow-up will be Nolan's next project after "Inception."

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Bruce Willis to play a cop - AGAIN !!!


Not content with iconic police roles in many films, Die Hard and Sin City to name a few, Bruce is at it again. He is set to do what he does best and star as a cop again , this time alongside Tracy Morgan in action comedy flick "Couple of Dicks".


It has been anounced today that Zack and Miri director Kevin Smith will helm the project. .The film focuses on two veteran LAPD detectives who attempt to track down a stolen, mint-condition, 1952 baseball card with hilarioius consequences.


Warners is aiming to release the film in theaters on January 29th, 2010.


Logan Lerman and Brandon T Jackson to star in Lightning Thief adaptation



Logan Lerman and Brandon T Jackson have landed the leading roles in "Percy Jackson." The adventure/fantasy film is about a schoolboy who discovers that his father is a Greek god.

Fox is looking to place a number of big-name actors in the smaller roles of the various gods including Poseidon and Zeus. Filming is scheduled to begin in April in Europe.

The story is adapted from "The Lighting Thief," the first of five novels in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series.

Monday 2 March 2009

Watchmen - Flash Website launched

Warner Bros have launched a new flash website called "Watchmen: 6 Minutes to Midnight," where you can experience a ten-minute interactive trailer from the upcoming movie. In the trailer, you are asked to look at pictures and reveal what you see. Your answers will unlock footage from the movie and information about the main characters.

The graphic novel adaptations is highley anticipated as it is widely regarded as one of the best adult comic books of all time. Director Zack Snyder's interpretaion of Watchmen will hit screens this Friday after recieiving mixed accolades from critics who have seen early screenings. Fan hype will play a big part in the movie's success as evident by the new virtual website marketing campaign.


Click here to visit the site.

Terminator 4 Salvation - 3/3/09 NEW FEATURE TRAILER

A full-length trailer for the upcoming "Terminator Salvation" has been released, showing lots of breathtaking new footage and confirming the much touted rumour that Sam Worthington's character Marcus Wright is infact a machine. But who's side is he on ? add your thoughts at the bottom of the post.

Watch the exciting new trailer below.

Brand New Terminator 4 Salvation Posters

Starring : Christian Bale, Sam Worthington
Released: 21/05/2009




These are the new posters revealed today for Terminator Salvation, the fourth part of the Terminator franchise. They feature Christian Bale as John Connor, An unamed Terminator with a gattling gun and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright. The tagline to all three posters reads "the end begins".
Though a rebranding of the series, Salvation leads on from the original trilogy of Terminator films with a group of survivors led by John Connor struggling to keep the machines from exterminating humanity after the nuclear holocaust at the end of T3 rise of the machines.


Click on the poster above to enlarge it , and add a comment below to tell us what you think.






Sunday 1 March 2009

Im Not the Green Lantern - Anton Yelchin rubbishes rumour




It was previously reported that Anton Yelchin, who is starring in the new Start Trek and Terminator movies, had been offered the role of The Green Lantern. This has turned out to be false as Yelchin has denied any involvement with the film.


"I have no idea. I think I'm probably too young," he said. "I mean, no one's approached me, no one's said anything to me. So I imagine I'm just too young. I mean, it's a great character but i don't know anything about it. ... I haven't heard anything about it" he told members of the press recently.

So with Yelchin out the running who would make a good Lantern? add a comment.

Saturday 28 February 2009

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino - REVIEW

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her

Released: 27th Februaury 2009


Make no mistake about it, Clint Eastwood is not fading into obscurity like many of Hollywoods fallen icons. A badass from back in the day who has gained more and more critical acclaim the further his career has progressed, Eastwood is loved for iconic acting in the likes of Dirty Harry and magnificent directing in the award lavished Million Dollar Baby. With that in mind Gran Torino has a lot to live up to and luckily it doesnt disappoint.

Clint plays Walt Kowalski, a war veteran who despises his family almost as much as the Hmong family who live next door. His wife having just passed away, Walt finds himself alone and disgruntled but after an incounter with a neighbourhood gang, Walt finds himself befriended by the family next door, whether he likes it or not. The tone of Gran Torino is what makes it most gripping. The premisis of the film is that Clint Eastwoods car proves the magnet that brings all the characters together, but this is the biggest maguffin of the film with the relationship between Walt and the young boy Thao the driving force of the film as Thao learns about being a man in modern society and Walt learns to accept and appreciate the place of those different from himself.

Clint's on top form as Kowalski, his grouchey racist slurs and tough skin genuinely make him believable as a war veteran set in his ways, unable to accept multi cultural society due to what haunts him from his past. This is Eastwoods film , he steals the show and when the film comes to its climax it would be very hard to say you have not identified with his character somebody you know like Kowalski. This is not to say the film is flawless, the young boy Thao is played by Bee Vang with as much acting depth as the planks of wood Walt has him lugging around the front yard. He seems unable to convey emotion that is believable to the audience making it hard to connect with him which is a shame as the relationship between he and Walt is one of the driving components of the narrative. Further more, after a long build up the ending feels a little disappointing and the final shot of the movie is extremely cliched, despite Eastwoods raspy voice signing to the films closing credits.

These are minor quibles in the end though that for most will not take away the enjoyment of the film. Some audience members seemed to feel awkward by the racist comments made by Walt in parts of the film where the comments are designed to envoke a comedic response, no doubt asking themselves should i be laughing at this ? This is deliberate by Eastwood as a comment on political correctness of modern society and how his generation still view the world, made evident by his insistence on calling the young boy "Toad" until he learns to appreciate him and begin calling him by his real name. Eastwood told GMTV "whatever ethnic, religious groups they were. Everybody would joke about it and everybody got along just fine," he said. "But then we've come to this now where everybody has to be walking on eggshells - kind of very... sensitive". The film has touching moments that deal with conflicting views of life and death, as well as very funny moments and intensely disturbing and emotional scenes. Gran Torino takes the audience member through every emotion you could possibly feel watching a film, and its this that makes Eastwood's Walt so tragically loveable.

Whilst it has its low points, Gran Torino is a flawed Masterpiece. It makes a strong comment on political correctness and the need for acceptance of others in modern society, but also the equally important yet less advertised argument of respect and decline of values that seem to become more and more diluted as generations continue. Eastwood gives a wonderful performance to rival any of his other iconic characters throughout his illustrious career and on the whole the rest of the supporting cast are just aswell played, with the exception of Thao. Eastwood proves he can still kick ass, and even more impressivly, he proves once again that he is capable of stunning the audience from both sides of the camera.

Action Flicks Rating : 9/10


Friday 27 February 2009

Anton Yelchin to play DC Superhero Green Lantern ???



Rumours are circulating today that the up and coming Green Lantern adaptation from Casino Royale director Martin Campbell has finally found a leading man.

The latest favourite is Anton Yelchin, a suprise front runner, who is set to play key roles in Terminator Salvation and JJ Abrams Star Trek.

Warner Bros are keen to tie up a deal soon as they want to release the film on December 17th 2010.

Do you think Yelchin makes a good Lantern or is there another actor you would like to see instead? Add a comment.

JJ Abrams and Brett Ratner's Superman - Concept Art

Turns out that the failed JJ Abrams and Brett Ratner's Superman film that was never made came a lot closer to being a reality than first thought. Concept art designed for the film has been released on the web showing Superman against a large foe unseen in any Superman film before. Whether the film will one day be made remains to be seen but for now it looks as if this is the closest we will get to seeing the lost creator and rush hour director take on the man of steel.

Click image below to view the full size





what do you think ? does this look like it would make a good Superman movie ?

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Samuel L Jackson IS NICK FURY - Signed and Sealed



Marvel has signed a deal with Samuel L Jackson to play the role of Nick Fury in nine future Marvel films, including "Iron Man 2," "Captain America," "Thor," The Avengers" as well as potential sequels.

Also on the table is the possibility of toplining a "S.H.I.E.L.D." movie about the espionage unit mentioned in "Iron Man".

Contracts were believed to have stalled wen Jackson promoting another film revealed he may not be returning as the character but it would appear either he has taken a pay cut or more likey the studio has buckled and splashed the cash. Are we happy to see Jackson continue in the role as Fury ???

Jason Statham's Crank 2 - Brand New UK International TRAILER

Starring : Jason Statham
Released : April 17th 2009

Monday 23 February 2009

Exclusive footage of the Biggest Movies of 2009 inc Sherlock Holmes and Public Enemies




When the Oscars came to a close last night a three minute segment was shown that included footage of some of the best films to look forward to in the next calender year. the footage shows brief clips from

* Sherlock Holmes (First Look)
* Funny People
* Taking of Pelham 123
* Public Enemies (First Look)
* Julia & Julia (First Look)
* The Soloist
* Up
* Fame (First Look)
* Terminator Salvation
* 500 Days of Summer
* Amelia (First Look)
* Whatever Works (First Look)
* Inglourious Basterds
* Night at the Museum 2
* Monsters vs Aliens
* Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
* Angels & Demons
* Old Dogs (First Look)
* Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
* The Boat that Rocked
* An Education (First Look)
* State of Play
* Imagine That
* G-Force

Which was your favourite and which ones are you looking forward to ????

Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms Cameo Star role in The Expendables

The governor of california who has also agreed for his likeness to be used in a Terminator 4 cameo has admitted he will guest star in his buddy Sylvester Stallones much anticipated big gun action flick.


The Oscars 2009 - full results list and watch the best picture award VIDEO

The predictions list posted around the internet proved to be wrong as the Oscars were given out yesterday. The winners were

Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk"

Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Foreign-Language Film: "Departures," Japan

Original Song: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Original Score: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Jerry Lewis


Film Editing: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Sound Mixing: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight"

Visual Effects: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Documentary, Short Subject: "Smile Pinki"

Documentary Feature: "Man on Wire"

Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Short Film: "Spielzeugland"

Makeup: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Costume: "The Duchess"

Art Direction: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes"

Animated Feature: "WALL-E"

Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"

Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"


Heath Ledger wins best supporting actor at Oscars 2009

The star of the dark knight picked up a much totuted posthumous oscar for his role as the joker.


Sunday 22 February 2009

Underworld 3 Rise of the Lycans - REVIEW

The first thing that is strikingly evident in Underworld 3 is the loss of leading lady Kate Beckinsale. I did not go into this film with high hopes as often when a sequel or prequel loses its main actor or actress the fundamental componenet of what made the films preceeding the one being viewed is often lost. Suprisingly the film manages to sidestep this massive error in judgement thanks to the number of other key players that do return and the clever idea to revolve the story arc around them rather than try to replace Beckinsale.
With Rhona Mitra's Sonja playing like a poor impression of Selene, it is not suprising the prequel option was chosen ahead of a watered down sequel. However, fans of the first two films may feel a little dissapointed as not much is really revealed or achieved that hasnt been seen before. In the first Underworld film a flashback is shown of what happend to Victor's daughter Sonja, this is basically a dragged out 1 hour and thirty minute extension of that flashback.
On the other hand, some of the sheer brutality and gore present will be enough to appease adrenaline junkies. The action sequences are impressive and whilst the acting talent on display seems like butter spread across too much bread compared to the depth of characters at disposal of the first two films, the smaller budget has in no way impared the visually glorious vampires and lycans. The quality of the cgi and animations is as good if not better than the films that preceed it. All in all Underworld 3 does not feel like a true sequel but it does showcase exactly how a prequel with a smaller budget can still make an entertaining film that will not disgruntle fans.
The film never feels on the same scale as the Beckinsale franchise, the begining of the war that is mentioned so vigourousy in 1 and Evolution is a little damp compared to the likes of the Lord of the Rings grand battles. But its saving grace is Michael Sheen who reprises his role as Lucien and plays the role with as much tragic grace and agony that he provides the audience with a reason to care about the events unfolding on screen.

As Part of the Underwold franchise this is the poorest installment, on the other hand when treated as a seperate entity it is an extremely enjoyable and bloodthirsty flick. Despite some odd exclusions (Selene becoming a vampire ? Kraven ?) most of the backstroy before Underworld one is covered suitably. The film plays out and the audience will be left quite content until the very final 30 seconds which prove the films downfall. Showing regurgitated footage of Kate Beckinsale as a leather clad Selene before the credits hit does not give fans a smile, it reminds them even though the past hour and a half has been enjoyable its not a patch on what came before it.

Action Flicks Rating : 6/ 10

Saturday 21 February 2009

The Dark Knight - breaks $1 Billion Milestone

Warner Bros. has announced that "The Dark Knight" has passed the $1 billion mark in worldwide revenues.The record-setting "Titanic" reigns atop the Billion's list with more than $1.8 billion recieved but Dark Knight hasnt stopped earning just yet.

Since its release in July, Christopher Nolans epic super hero tale has become Warners' highest grossing film worldwide as well as the second-highest-grossing film domestically of all time. The Film could be thrust into the spotlight even more this week with the late Heath Ledger favourite to recieve the best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayle of The Joker.

Mickey Rourke "Would love to be in Iron Man 2" - VIDEO

Mickey Rourke, who is tipped to pick up the best actor Oscar for his role in "The Wrestler", has revealed not only that rumours he has been in talks with Marvel are true, but that he would love to star in Iron Man 2. Reports suggested Rourke like Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury were no longer being considered due to high wage demands but this interview suggests Rourke is still confident of appearing in the film among already confirmed cast memebers Robert Downey Jr and Don Cheadle.

Friday 20 February 2009

Oscars 2009 Winners list leaked online ?

The Oscars are treated every year with absolute secrecy but as always some critics claim to have come across leaked documents revealing this years oscar winners. This has resulted in a betting frenzy with some of the more unlikely candidates most notably Amy Adams in the supporting actress category, having her odds slashed. So if you choose to believe here is the potential winners list leaked earlier today:



Actor in a leading role: Mickey Rourke
Actor in a supporting role: Heath Ledger
Actress in a leading role: Kate Winslet
Actress in a supporting role: Amy Adams
Animated Feature Film: Wall-E
Art Direction: The Dark Knight
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Directing: Slumdog Millionaire
Documentary feature: Man on Wire
Documentary short: The Conscience of Nhem En
Film editing: Milk
Foreign language film: Departures
Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Music (Score): Defiance
Music (Song): Down to Earth (Wall-E)
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Short film (animated): Presto
Short film (live action): Auf Der Strecke (On The Line)
Sound editing: Wall-E
Sound mixing: The Dark Knight
Visual effects: Iron Man
Writing (Adapted screenplay): The Reader
Writing (Original screenplay): In Bruges

regardless of whether this list be true or not the only way to find out will be to tune in to the oscars on sunday. If you use this info to make a bet, then your braver than i am to trust internet specualtion, but good luck !!!

Ice Age 3 - Hilarious Trailer

Not strichtly an action flick being a cgi childrens animated film but take a look at this tv spot anyway, its hilarious.

Clive Owen's THE INTERNATIONAL - Opening 5 minutes

Starring : Clive Owen
Released : 27th February 2009

Here is the opening Five minutes of Clive Owen's up and coming intelligent espionage thriller The International. Initial perceptions of the film are that if you were disapointed Clive didnt get the nod to be James Bond, this may be your chance to tell 007 fans i told you so.


Thursday 19 February 2009

NEW TRANSFORMERS POSTERS REVEALED



these new posters show what appears to be "the fallen" and a shot of shia la beouf and megan fox running with optimus prime and pyramids in the background. what do you think of the new transformers pics ???

TEKKEN - FIRST PICTURES






These are the first pictures to come from the highly anticipated adaptation of the videogame franchise Tekken. The game has long been the pinacle of beat em up franchises and it is hoped the new film will eclipse the success of previous video game adaptations and perhaps start a new series of films in the mold of Mortal Kombat. The pics show Jon Foo as Jin Kazama, Marian Zapico as Anna Williams, Gary Daniels as Bryan Fury, Ian Anthony Dale as Kazuya and Mircea Monroe as Kara.
Tell us what you think of the pics below.