Henry Cavill Cast as‘Superman’ | /Film

Warner Bros. andZack Snyderhave found their newSuperman.(And their new Clark Kent.) And no, it isn’t Jon Hamm. The company sent out a press release this morning to announced that Henry Cavill (Stardust,The Tudors, Tarsem’s forthcomingImmortalsand an actor who auditioned for Christopher Nolan’s Batman) is the new son of Krypton.

Read the full release after the break.

Ralph Damiani created this photoshoped image:

We still have no real details about what sort of Superman film this will be. The official line gives no indiciation as to what we can expect. But I think the casting will come as a surprise to many. I’m looking forward to the comments debate about what this means for the character, and to see how people will react to a British actor playing Superman. If Christian Bale can play Batman, why not?

Note that this is right in line with what we’d heard WB waslooking forback in November of last year. The report then was that the studio wanted someone 28-32 and likely someone who would be“a discovery, or an actor from TV who isn’t yet a big star.” And so, ladies and gentlemen, Henry Cavill.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Henry Cavill has won the coveted role of Superman, the iconic superhero.

The film will be directed by Zack Snyder, who stated,“In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen. I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choiceto don the cape and S shield.”

Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film. The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

Cavill recently wrapped production on“The Cold Light of Day” and stars in the upcoming “Immortals,” opening this fall.

Targeted for release in December 2012, the new Superman movie will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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‘Skateland’ Trailer – 1980s-Set Coming of Age Movie Starring Ashley Greene | /Film

MTVhas released the official movie trailer for Anthony Burns‘s feature film directorial debut withSkateland, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival .Skatelandis a coming-of-age story which takes place in the early 1980s in small-town East Texas. Dramatic events force a 19-year-old skating rink manager named Ritchie (played byDeadgirl‘sShiloh Fernandez) to look at his life in a very new way.

“Skatelandexplores the rupture of charismatic Ritchie Wheeler, brother and sister Brent and Michelle Burkham, and wise-cracking lady-killer Kenny Crawford’s seemingly complacent existence as they struggle with the collapse of their tumultuous home lives, the alcohol-induced idling of reckless adolescence, and the wane of their hometown hangout, the local roller rink. A story syncopated with moments of violent turbulence, of heartbreak and of new beginnings,Skatelandimmerses the audience in the brutal, but beautiful vastness of East Texas blue skies and the emotional claustrophobia of the bible belt. Enveloped by the brooding melodies and incendiary rock riffs of the early 80’s,Skatelandis a place where aging values wrestle with contemporary pop culture to create a paradoxical balance between old and new.”

The movie also starsAshley Greene(Twilight),Heath Freeman, Taylor Handley, AJ Buckley,andHaley Ramm. I’m usually a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and growing up in the 1980′s makes this all the more appealing. However, I screened this at Sundance this year and only mildly liked it.  Watch the trailer now after the jump.

Trailer:

Photos:

via:FirstShowing

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Armond White Accuses Members of the New York Film Critics Circle of Racism; With Video | /Film

Theman who famously pannedToy Story 3andInceptionbut lovedGrown UpsandJonah Hexonce again finds himself at the center of a huge controversy. This time, though, it’s a bit more serious than his unconventional taste in movies. Famously contrarianNew York Pressfilm criticArmond Whitegot national attention last week after getting into a public war of words with Darren Aronofsky and reportedly making Annette Bening cry at the New York Critics Circle Awards. Now White has accused that group of attempting to smear his reputation because of racism.

In addition toa brand new essay on the topic, which describes the events in detail, White appeared on Sirius XM’sRon Bennington Interviewsto not only comment on the events at the Awards but to air his beef withVillage Voicefilm criticJ. HobermanandEntertainment WeeklycriticLisa Schwartzbaum. The full interview will air at 2 p.m. Sunday on Sirius Stars Too, XM 139, Sirius 108 but Bennington played some clips from the interview on his regular show,The Ron and Fez Show, which airs at 11 a.m. weekdays on XM 202, Sirius 197 .

See video clips of the interview below.

White began by saying that the events at the New York Critics Circle Awards, where his comments reportedly made Bening cry, were lies:

Oddly, {the awards} got me noticed for things that did not happen.  It all started with an article onThe Gawker website.  An article that was written by a friend of an enemy…the enemy beingJ. Hobermanat The Village Voice.  So a friend ofJ. Hobermanwrote a lie.  And the lie caught fire and is all over the internet.

And he had this to say to Darren Aronofsky, who came on stage and said that White was“another reason not to read the New YorkPress.”

This asshole Darren Aronofsky comes up on stage {…} and he decided to do the stupid thing and take a shot at me.

Here’s the video of those comments.

{Note from Russ: Mr. White says that no one reported his"Darren Aronofsky reads me, and that's all I want"comments, but that's not quite true. I read that quote in several places, includingThe LA Times,Movieline, andIndieWire. Those outlets also printed Mr. Aronofsky's statement from later in the evening,"I was a dick. I’m sorry."}

Here’s a segment of the exchange in the next video, in which Bennington and White talk about the accusations of Schwartzbaum and Hoberman being racist.

ARMOND WHITE: I’m not paranoid about this: Hoberman and Schwarzbaum don’t like me. And really, I don’t talk about these things in public. I talk about them now because they made it public. It was never my wish to make them public. You know, there are a lot of people who don’t like me and there are a lot of people I don’t like. I don’t talk about that in public, especially if they’re members of The New York Film Critics Circle. I respect the circle. I respect that institution and I keep my private thoughts about the members private. But, they didn’t do that…they attempted to smear my reputation. And I figured I’ve got no recourse then except to defend myself. And the truth is my only defense. And part of that truth is that they just don’t like me. And I do think that part of that not liking me is that I’m the only black man in the room.

RON BENNINGTON: So you really think it comes down to racism? After all these years, we’re still at that point?

AW: Sad to say, and everybody knows it. Everybody knows it. I’m not the only one and it’s not new.

RB: So everyone knows that those two people are racist?

AW: Now they know, now they know. Because the only way—one thing I regret about this profession is that {…}we critics don’t talk among each other. We don’t debate, we don’t discuss. And instead, what Hoberman and Schwarzbaum have done is that, instead of having a discussion, they told a lie. And they told a lie, I think, out of personal motivation.

Here’s the video of that exchange and more.

Finally, White lays the race card on the whole Critics Circle:

You’ve got to consider, The New York Film Critics Circle has been around for 76 years and in its entire history there have only been two black people in it? And I’m one of them? And I’ve got enemies, not because of anything I’ve done to someone, but simply because I’m there.

Those comments are in this video clip here.

Step aside from the fact that you might not agree with his assessments of movies and look at these accusations objectively. Do you think there’s any possible degree of truth in them or is White just being paranoid and his usual boisterous self?

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Star Tours 2.0 To Open on May 20th, Star Wars Blu-Rays Get Dated | /Film

Disney has finally announced that the newStar Wars’Star Tours: The Adventures Continueattraction will open at its Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World resort on May 20th 2011.

Also, LucasFilm has finally disclosed the release date of the upcoming Star Wars Blu-Rays. Whenthe sets were announced, we were told“September 2011,” but not an actual day. We now know that the sets will arrive on September 27th 2011.

Previously:

Star Tours: The Adventures Continues includes an entirely new 3D versionof the ride, which will include locations and characters from both the original trilogy (Chewbacca, c-3PO, R2-D2, Aqualish. Bith, Rodians, etc) and prequel trilogy (like Naboo citizens and Geonosians) as it takes place after the events of Revenge of the Sith and before A New Hope. One action sequence will feature the Star Tours vehicle is now going to be chased by Boba Fett, and Admiral Ackbar holographically communicates with the passengers.

The new attraction will take voyagers— for the first time ever— to Coruscant, as well as other destinations in the Star Wars galaxy. While Bespin, Endor and Alderaan are also mentioned in the promotional tourism video for the Star Tours Travel Company, DisneyParks features a disclaimer“we cannot confirm that you will travel to any of the destinations shown in this video . . .”

Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis inadvertently announced during D23′s“Destination D” event that the new ride will feature 54 possible different experiences. That excites us but we wonder just how different these 54 possibilities will be. We didn’t report this fact when it was revealed as we were waiting for more infomation about how this would be handled, but nothing has come out since. Does anyone know any more about this bit of news?

We also recently learned that composer Michael Giacchino (Lost, Up, Star Trek) will score the new ride.

It was originally revealed that the StarSpeeder 1000 series spacecraft would be flown using one of the latest AC-series Tour Droids, a new character named Ace. Well it turns out that might not be the complete story. Imagineers“decided to take the story in a very different direction” after having“discussions with George Lucas” during the course of production. We don’t know exactly how this will play out, but C-3PO will appear as the pilot of the new ride, replacing the AC-38 droid better known as Ace. Here is the photo they have released:

And here is the previously released high resolution photo of Ace:

Rex, the robot pilot we all remember and love from the original Star Tours ride will have a place in the new show, however where that will be is unknown. You might recall that Rex mentioned in the original introduction that Star Tours was his first flight, which is the reason the droid was not brought back as pilot for Star Tours 2.0.Disney has mentioned that Ace’s personality is“as different from Rex as you can imagine.”

The imagineers have also created a new“spokesbot” named Aly San San for the new ride, modeled after the WA-7 “Waitress Droid” from theStar Wars– Episode II– Attack of the Clones. The droid is voiced byAllison Janney, and her droid name was suggested by George Lucas as a tribute to the actress.

Here is the previously released Queue video:

Previously released images:

Previously released video trailer:

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Warner Bros. May Remake‘The Wild Bunch’(Shoot Me) and‘Westworld’(Which is OK) | /Film

When talking about the screenwriter hire for Warner Bros.’proposed rebootofLethal Weapon, I mentioned that there was a lot of potential remake news coming out of the studio today. Well, here’s the rest. {viaTHR} What happened is that exec Jessica Goodman, a 13-year vet at the studio, has left, and projects that were on her desk, or hidden at the bottom of one of her‘to-do’ piles, have been distributed among other execs.

The result is a new lease on life for a handful of possible remakes that have been dormant for some time. They includeSam Peckinpah‘s seminal‘end of the West’ filmThe Wild Bunch, the aforementionedLethal Weaponreboot, and a new version ofWestworld.

First up, I really can’t see any problem with remakingWestworld. Originally made by Michael Crichton in 1973, the original is practically begging for a remake. You can’t quite replace Yul Brenner, who played a robot cowboy who runs amok at an immersive amusement park for adults, but modern effects might do wonders for the story. Sure, Mr. Crichton later one-upped himself by writingJurassic Park(robot cowboys are one thing, and real dinosaurs quite another) but there’s still room for a new version. I’d rather see Warners doing original films, but as remakes go this one doesn’t rankle.

But then there’sThe Wild Bunch. That one rankles a hell of a lot. Word is that the success of the Joel and Ethan Coen version ofTrue Gritis to blame (or credit) for this one floating back to the surface. I didn’t think anything could make me dislike the success ofTrue Grit, but I guess there’s got to be a downside to everything.

So let’s get this out of the way: besides being Westerns the two original films are in no way comparable, and besides being Westerns, there’s no reason to use theTrue Gritremake as justification forThe Wild Bunch.

Many thousands of words have been written praising and analyzingThe Wild Bunch, which presented onscreen violence in a way that was new and shocking at the time, and which remains potent despite the fact that dozens of imitators have recycled its approach. (Safe to say that withoutThe Wild Bunch, there would be no John Woo.) I won’t recycle all that effort here.

Sam Peckinpah’s original features a stellar cast of leading men and character actors (William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O’Brien, Warren Oates, Jaime Sánchez, Ben Johnson, Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones) and represented the director’s triumphant return to the silver screen after difficulties with his filmMajor Dundeekept him from working for a few years. It isn’t just a major point in the ever-escalating graph of cinematic violence, but a tender and heartfelt character study about men whose time has passed. I don’t care who you hire to write, the result would beThe Wild Bunchin name only. Let it be, please.

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Why We Go To The Sundance Film Festival | /Film

TheSundance Film Festivalis the best known film festival in the United States. Say the word“Sundance” to anyone, film lover or not, and chances are they’ve heard of the festival. As a movie blog though, the problem with covering Sundance is that virtually all of the movies are brand new. We haven’t heard of them, you haven’t heard of them, so why would you even care about them?

More than any of the casting news, trailer or film stills that we post on a daily basis, what happens in that small corner of Utah for a little over a week in January is probably the most important movie event of the year. Even so, talk to the most seasoned movie fan and they don’t spend half as much time focusing on what’s going on at Sundance as they do bitching about movies that came out three years ago. Plain and simple, the best films that you will see in theaters for the next 12 months are being shown at Sundance now. And while you probably haven’t heard of them in January, you’ll definitely have heard of them by December. Don’t you want in on the ground floor?

For the next 10 days, some combination of myself, Peter Sciretta and David Chen will be in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival. And while you might not be eager to click and read about a movie you haven’t heard of yet, we urge you to do so. Some of the films that people hadn’t heard of when they played Sundance in the past are films likeSaw, The Blair Witch Project, Donnie Darko,28 Days Later, Napoleon Dynamite, Memento, Bottle Rocket, Clerks, Reservoir DogsandThe Usual Suspects. Think of all the movies that have been made since because filmmakers likeChristopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Kevin Smith, Quentin TarantinoandBryan Singerbroke out at the Sundance Film Festival. Who is the breakout star this year? You’ll have to follow our coverage to find out.

Still not convinced? We’ve compiled even more films that you know and love that got their start at Sundance after the jump.

At this time last year, the films screening at Sundance includedCatfish, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Blue Valentine, Winter’s Bone, Restrepo, Animal Kingdom, Waiting for Superman, Four Lions, The Kids Are All Rightand more. And that’s just last year.

In previous years (besides the huge ones we mentioned above) films as diverse as The Cove, Precious, Moon, 500 Days of Summer, In Bruges, Time Crimes, Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, The Descent, Hustle and Flow, Foot Fist Way, Primer, Better Luck Tomorrow, You Can Count on Me, The Squid and the Whale, American Splendor, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Super TroopersandAmerican Psychoall played at Sundance.

It’s notThe Dark KnightorTransformers, we know, but that’s a pretty solid list of movies and you can guarantee that in 2011, we’ll be adding to it.

Peter, David and I will seeing as many movies as possible and, when we have a few moments between that, eating and sleeping, even writing about them. And while not everything that plays in Park City is guaranteed to be a classic, most of the stuff becomes well-known.

What movies playing at Sundance this year are you most excited to see?

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‘Scream 4′Trailer (Official Release) | /Film

A few days ago there was anunofficial releaseof the new full-length trailer forScream 4. It was quickly pulled, but now we’ve got the official release. Hopefully this one will stick around longer; it’s after the break.

All I can say here is that this continues to look like a movie that just isn’t for me. I expect some fans will love going back to this meta-powered take on horror movies. For me it seems to be far too worried about being self-aware, but maybe that’s just the trailer. I do like the joke about remakes towards the end.

Applehas the HD version. Previously:

The first part of a new trilogy written by screenwriterKevin Williamsonand directed byWes Craven.Neve Campbell, Courtney CoxandDavid Arquettehave all previously committed to reprise their respective roles in the fourth film. The movie will be set ten years later in Woodsboro, and is described as“an ensemble” which will introduce several new characters. The new film will take place a decade later, a decade without the ghostface killer. But that doesn’t mean that movie-within-the-movie-seriesStabhas come to an end. Williamsonhas saidthatScream 4will reference manga comics, Asian ghost girl movies, PG-13 horror movies, vampire films, M. Night Shyamalan movies and even torture porn. Scream 4 will begin shooting in Michigan in June 2010, aiming for a April 15th 2011 release.

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‘Project Nim’–A Worthy Follow-Up to‘Man on Wire’? {Sundance Review} | /Film

DirectorJames Marshwowed critics and audiences and scored and Academy Award for his marvelous 2008 documentaryMan on Wire(Marsh went on to direct one of theRed Ridingfilms). That’s why I was psyched to learn that his newest documentary,Project Nim, would be opening the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.Project Nim, which centers on one researcher’s attempt to teach a chimp English using sign language, hasalready been scooped up by HBO, and it is very likely you’ll get to see this movie at some point this year.

So how is Marsh’s follow-up toMan on Wire? Hit the jump to find out.

Project Nimchronicles the case of Nim Chimsky (a pun on Chomsky), a chimpanzee born in 1973 who was raised like a human. Under the supervision of Columbia University professor Herb Terrace (and I use“supervision” loosely), researchers try to teach Nim English using sign language. First, Terrace installs Nim in a hippie commune, where he’s allowed to run wild and unrestrained. After that does not prove as effective as hoped, Nim is subjected to what feels like an endless series of changingenvironments and teachers. While the film is concerned with the question of whether or not Nim successfully learned how to communicate using sign language, it is more interested in how Nim is treated and what that says about his caretakers.

Marsh has impressively amassed a voluminous amount of archival material, including video and photographs, many of which gorgeously illustrate the individuals and key moments in the film. He shoots his talking heads all in the same, professionally-lit style, which allows the emotions (or lack thereof) of each individual to emerge unfettered. The result is a heartbreaking portrait of a chimp whose life was never his own. And while that last sentence might sound a bit silly, if anything, this film will instill a renewed appreciation for the psychological life and capacity of animals.

I don’t know that Nim ever reaches the heights ofMan on Wire. I was so taken in by the energy and singular focus of the latter, and I found its final moments to be transcendent and unforgettable. But this is obviously a completely different film with an altogether different focus. There are moments of absolute magic inProject Nim, and most of them involve Nim himself: his“conversations” with humans, his strange habits and mannerisms, his inherently adorable nature in his youth. When you see Nim sign and interact with people, you will believe we are living in the future (or the prequel forPlanet of the Apes. Or the movie Congo). And watching the film will force you to ask those Big Questions: What is the nature of language? Is it ever proper for animals and humans to mix in this fashion? What are the responsibilities of scientists and researchers when working with animals?

Terrace, the Columbia researcher, is perhaps the film’s most fascinating character, in that the film portrays him in a near-sociopathic light. He gets sexually involved with the females he hires (to the detriment of his experiment), expresses little to no remorse over the lives he’s negatively affected, and seems to have no compassion for Nim himself. He is a chilling reminder of one of the most memorable film clichés: in a film about animals and humans, sometimes it is difficult to tell which one is which.

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Screen Gems Remaking‘About Last Night…’Produced by‘Easy A’Director | /Film

Briefly:Here’s the lineage ofAbout Last Night…: in 1974David Mametpublished the playSexual Perversity in Chicago. In 1986Ed Zwickdirected a film that adapted the play with a much more approachable title (About Last Night…) and a pretty but effective cast that included Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. Then, in 2010, we heard that Screen Gems might put a new version ofAbout Last Night…into development. In 2011 this came to pass, produced byEasy AdirectorWill Gluck.

As things stand now there is no writer or director on board, much less a cast to play new versions of a couple (Lowe and Moore, originally) who meet in Chicago, fall for one another, and then have to navigate the tricky waters of commitment. Will Gluck probably won’t end up writing and directing this himself because he’s got another comedybookedwith hisEasy Astar EmmaStoneafter she’s done withSpider-Man. {Variety}

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New‘Dredd’Set Photo Shows Full Costume and Lawmaster Bike | /Film

We’ve seen a few photos fromDredd, including one that gave a pretty good idea of howKarl Urbanwould lookwearing the helmetthat is a core part of the uniform for the title character. Now here’s a shot that shows a Judge in full costume riding one of the high-tech Lawmaster bikes used by the Judges in Mega-City One.

Dreddis shooting now in South Africa, withPete Travisdirecting Karl Urban as Judge Dredd,Olivia Thirlbyas Judge Anderson andLena HeadeyofThe Sarah Connor ChroniclesandGame of Thronesas Madeline Madrigal, aka Ma-Ma, aka the leader of a gang who runs one of the blocks in Mega-City One. I’m hoping for good things out of this, as theAlex Garlandscript has some great elements. I’m still not sold on the visuals we’ve seen, but I’m waiting to see a trailer, to get an indication of how the film will really look after all is said and done.

One good thing about this image is that, while it might just be a stuntman in the suit, the helmet looks better proportioned here than did the one in the early test shot of Karl Urban I linked above. That’s a good sign.

DREDDtakes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. JudgeDredd(Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot– if necessary. The endlessly inventive mind of writer Alex Garland and the frenetic vision of director Peter Travis bringDREDDto life as a futuristic neo-noir action film that returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra’s revered comic strip.

{2000ADviaio9}

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Benicio Del Toro and James Franco Confirmed For‘The Iceman,’Starring Michael Shannon | /Film

Peoplereallywant to make movies about mob hitmanRichard‘the Ice Man’ Kuklinski.Mickey Rourkehas been attached toThe Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killerfor some time. But last November we heard about arival film:The Iceman, withMichael Shannonplaying Kuklinski and possible support fromBenicio del ToroandJames Franco.

Now the casting of those two appears to be confirmed, and it looks likeThe Icemanwill beat the other production to the starting line.

Ariel Vromenwill direct and co-wrote the script withMorgan Land, based onAnthony Bruno‘s bookThe Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer. Other research for the script came from interviews with Mr. Kuklinski. No start date is mentioned in the press release sent out today, but last time we heard about the film a summer start was mentioned.

Here’s the plot recap, via the press release announcing the cast:

THE ICEMANis the electrifying true story of Richard Kuklinski (Shannon), a notorious mob contract killer and loving family man. He earned his nickname by freezing the bodies of his victims, disguising the time of death, and throwing police off-track. He was a man who used his tendencies toward violence and detachment from consequence to create an idyllic family life. His family and neighbors believed he was an average businessman, having no idea about his deadly alternate life. Kuklinski killed over one hundred people during his life. He never felt remorse for anything he had done, except hurting his family. Del Toro co-stars as Kuklinski’s employer, the notorious mobster Roy Demeo, and Franco plays his mentor assassin known as Mr. Softee.

Naturally, the press release doesn’t mention the competing film starring Mickey Rourke, and calls to the production company behind the picture have not yet been returned. So we don’t know if that one remains in active development.

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WiReD’s 51 Minute Interview With Christopher Nolan | /Film

We love long-form interviews— if you’ve been reading the site for a while, you already know that. And while I’m personally allInception-ed out at this point, I can’t help but to plug WiReD Magazine’s 51-minute audio interview with directorChristopher Nolan. The interview was conducted and selected info and quotes were incorporated into their great December Issue story“Christopher Nolan on Dreams, Architecture and Ambiguity”. Wired has uploaded the entire interview online for all to enjoy— listen to it onthis pageordirectly at this link.

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Kyle Gallner To Play Wayne Gretzky In Kevin Smith’s ‘Hit Somebody’ | /Film

Anybody who knows anything aboutKevin Smithknows that Kevin Smith is a massive hockey fan. He’s also a massiveWayne Gretzkyfan. So the news that Smith has castKyle Gallnerto play The Great One in his upcoming hockey filmHit Somebodyis just about the biggest compliment Smith could pay the young actor.

Gallner just finishedworking with SmithonRed Stateand also had significant parts in theA Nightmare on Elm Streetremake andJennifer’s Bodyto go along with an extensive TV resume (Big Love, Veronica Mars, etc.) But how does Gretzky play into Smith’s upcoming hockey film starring anotherRed StatealumNicholas Braun? Find out after the jump.

Thanks toCinema Blendfor the heads up on this story. They heard the news by listening to Smith’sRed State of the Union podcast, during which the writer/director talks extensively about his latest film which premieres in less than a week’s time at the Sundance Film Festival.

On the podcast, Smith explained that Gallner’s role as Gretzky, who actually turns 50 later this month, will be from early in his career when he first hit the NHL as a hot shot center for the Edmonton Oilers. The moment reportedly takes place about 3/4ths into the film and Smith called it“the lynchpin” for the main character Buddy McKracken. Gretzky is everything McKracken wants to be.

As we’vepreviously written,Hit Somebodyis“based on a Warren Zevon song with lyrics by acclaimed writer Mitch Albom, is a story of a hockey enforcer who strives to score just one goal in a hockey game.”

You can listen to the song below. It basically tells the entire story of the movie.

What do you think about the character of Wayne Gretzky appearing inHit Somebody?

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‘Mother’s Day’ Trailer | /Film

This isn’t exactly an official trailer, butBloody Disgustinghas stumbled upon your best look yet atDarren Lynn Bousman‘s horror/thriller/reimaginingMother’s DaystarringRebecca De Mornay, Jamie KingandShawn Ashmore. And as we wait forBousman’s next film,11-11-11, this one is scheduled to open on April 1. Check out the near 2 minute trailer, which was used as a sales promo in Germany, after the jump.

Thanks toBloody Disgustingfor the find. Don’t forget to scroll below the trailer for some thoughts on the movie itself.

Like we said, while that isn’t an official trailer or anything, it might as well be. It gives audiences a good idea of the cast, the story and some of the horrific things that are portrayed in the film.Much like Peter, I was fortunate enough to see the film at Fantastic Fest in Austin this past year and here’s what I wrote about it then,when I worked for Collider:

Mother’s Day… is about a set of brothers who end up in their old house only to find a new family living there. They proceed to manipulate and torture the new tenants, as well as friends who are there for a party, until the brother’s mother (Rebecca De Mornay) shows up to straighten everything out. And that’s when things get really messed up.Mother’s Daybegins kind of awkwardly as the audience is forced to jump into scenes we know nothing about. After about a half hour, though, once we’ve become comfortable with the characters and situation, Bousman makes us very uncomfortable over and over again. Fantastic effects work and really messed up tortures abound and while they aren’t on the wacky level of the stuff inSaw 2-4, which Bousman directed, their basis in reality makes them that much more frightening. The film eventually hits its stride, and some leaps of logic aside, it ends up entertaining as a thriller and a commentary on the roles of women in society. You know, if you are into that sort of thing.

IsMother’s Daya film you’re going to check out when it’s released on April 1. Are you a fan of Bousman’s?

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The /Filmcast: After Dark–Ep. 130–Dissecting Black Swan (GUEST: Alison Willmore from IFC) | /Film

The /Filmcast: After Dark is a recording of what happens right after The /Filmcast is over, when the kids have gone to bed and the guys feel free to speak whatever is on their minds. In other words, it’s the leftover and disorganized ramblings, mindfarts, and brain diarrhea from The /Filmcast, all in one convenient audio file. In this episode, David ChenandAdam Quigleyrespond to some of your feedback from ourBlack Swanreview, and discuss some of the more wild interpretations of the film. Special guestAlison Willmorejoins us fromIFC.

You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. We’ll be back onSunday (01/16)at 10 PM EST / 7 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live pageto reviewThe Green Hornet.

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‘Scream 4′Movie Trailer | /Film

A full-length movie trailer has been released forWes Craven‘sScream 4, unveiled by the film’s Canadian distributor Alliance Viva Film (viaBleeding Cool). The trailer features a lot of new footage not shown inthe initial teaser trailer, and in my mind shows both improvement and promise. Watch the trailer now embedded afte the jump. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

‘The Green Hornet’ – What Did You Think? | /Film

Michel Gondry’sThe Green Hornet,which is out today in theaters,has had a long, arduous path to the big screen. Gondry was initially supposed to directHornetway back in 1997, but significant creative differences led to the film being shelved. Then, Kevin Smith climbed aboard the project to write and direct, beforeSeth RogenandEvan Goldbergfinally seized control in 2007. Initially, martial arts favorite Stephen Chow was slated to direct, but further creative differences led to him leaving the project and Gondry assuming control once again (for more info on the film’s history, check outthis NYTimes piece).

The final product cost over $100 million to produce and has a wise-cracking Rogen playing Britt Reid, the titular character who teams up with martial arts expert and genius engineer Kato (played byJay Chou) to defeat the vicious Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). So was all the hullabaloo worth it? Does Rogen show he can still draw laughs? Does Gondry manage to imbue a superhero story with his whimsical visual style? Does Jay Chou’s heavy accent threaten to torpedo the whole thing? Hit the jump to leave your thoughts.Spoilers are allowed in the comments and after the break.

‘Star Wars’Fan Writes 108-Page Rebuttal to Red Letter Media’s‘Phantom Menace’Review | /Film

Thanks to theStar Warsprequels,Star Warsfandom has divided itself down the middle almost like the Jedi and the Sith. There are people who vocally condemn the mere existence of the prequels and others who know the prequels aren’t as good as the originals, but still respect them because they’reStar Wars. Like anything, though, there are exceptions to this rule. Plenty of old-school fans boycotted the movies totally, others love the prequels unabashedly and some fall in between if, for example, they thinkRevenge of the Sithis great, but the others suck, and so on.

Assuming that’s the case, the Bible for the non-fans would probably be theRed Letter Mediavideo reviews of theStar Warsprequels. These epic, critical destructions ofThe Phantom Menace,Attack of the ClonesandRevenge of the Sith, blend film theory and entertainment value in an almost deadly way. They’re anti-prequel propaganda at its best. The fans, though, don’t have a figurehead. George Lucas certainly doesn’t want the job and even the films themselves only contain a few moments in each that are pureStar Wars.

However, one fan has taken all the passion that once embodied aStar Warsfan and created something for prequel admirers to stand behind. A message board user namedJim Raynorhas written an incendiary 108-page tome as a rebuttal to the Red Letter Media review ofThe Phantom MenacecalledRed Letter Media’s Episode I Review: A Study in Fanboy Stupidity. Download it, read some excerpts, bask in its geekiness and more after the jump.

C. Thomas Howell’s ‘Spider-Man’ Role Revealed? | /Film

Unlike he did in the Eighties,C. Thomas Howellwill not be fighting Russians, Socs or racial stereotypes inMarc Webb‘sSpider-Manreboot.We recently reportedthat he’d been cast in the film, starringAndrew GarfieldandEmma Stone, but were unsure who he might be playing.Entertainment Weeklyhas now revealed that the character’s name is“Ray” and while that doesn’t scream“Spider-Man” like the names Norman, Cletus, Otto or Eddie might, it still makes sense in a roundabout kind of way. We connect the dots after the jump.

/Filmcast Ep. 130–Exit Through the Gift Shop (GUEST: Alison Willmore from IFC) | /Film

This week, David and Adam discuss the merits of Errol Morris, praise some British TV shows you probably don’t have access to, and lament the passing of a great actor. Special guestAlison Willmorejoins us fromIFC.

You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us for our next live broadcast on Sunday, January 19that Slashfilm’s live pageat 10 PM EST / 7 PM PST, where we’ll be reviewingThe Green Hornet.

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POTD: The Vietnam War Movie Memorial | /Film

ArtistTim Doyletalks his The Vietnam War Movie Memorial art:

“I was asked to participate in an artshow that is also a fundraiser for a documentary about VHS art, and this is the piece I created for it. VHS will always hold a special place in my memory.… Recently I had to re-watch Full Metal Jacket and another Vietnam War movie for poster assignments (the second one is not yet released, fyi) and I got to thinking about how much of our understanding of war in this country is filtered through the for-profit lens of Hollywood. And frankly, I think it’s gross. Multi-million dollar star vehicles showing us all how awful war is, but still with a slight sense of humor and a moral at the end, and the star never comes home with a permanent brain injury or a lost limb. It’s these celluloid fantasies that help shape and sell the narrative of howwe in America “understand” what’s going on in all those other countries we can’t spell properly. Many of us here don’t even personally know the name of a soldier serving now, much less one that has died in a past conflict. Do I hate war movies? Heck no. They can be great fun, great social commentary, and depress the hell out of you. They can also exploit, lie, and whitewash. But no one should ever mistake them for what they are- complete fiction. Even the ‘true’ stories aren’t really true. So all of the above was kicking around in my head when I created the above piece. Ihope it offends the right people and the original intended message comes through. “

Nakatomiincis selling a 18×24 hand printed silkscreen print of Doyle’s Vietnam War Memorial, signed and numbered in an artist’s edition of 50.

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A‘Wicked’Adaptation Is Finally Happening…As a TV Miniseries | /Film

Every time we run a story about one of theWizard of Ozfilms that are in development, the same question comes up: where’sWicked? TheGregory MaguirenovelWicked: The Life and Times of theWickedWitch of the Westtold the story of Oz from the perspective of the witch of the title, then spawned a tremendously successful stage musical, and there have been rumors of a film for several years.

But this may not be quite what you’re expecting. This version ofWicked, developed bySalma Hayek‘s company Ventanarosa Productions, is based on the novel, rather than the musical, and will see life as an ABC miniseries.

Cool Stuff: Gallery1988′s“Is This Thing On”Art Show | /Film

I wasn’t planning to write about Gallery1988′s first annual“Is This Thing On” art show as it really has little connection to movies or television (or so I thought… the above piece featuring Judd Apatow mashed-up with the infamous Star Trek Tribbles episode is a fine example of this). The show, co-sponsored by FunnyOrDie, features over 100 artists, each creating pieces that are portraits of their favorite funny people, both beloved comics of yesteryear and emerging superstars.

The line up of comedians depicted include: Chris Farley,Will Ferrel,Richard Pryor, Don Rickles, Paul Reubens,Tim& Eric, Nick Kroll, Demetri Martin, Chris Rock, Whitney Cummings, Jon Lovitz, Sam Kinison, Bill Murray, Woody Allen, Colin Quinn, Bill Hicks, Howard Stern, Judd Apatow,Chris Hardwick, Marc Maron, Scott Auckerman, David Spade, Andy Dick, Lenny Bruce, Adam Sandler, Amy Sedaris,Lisa Lampanelli, David Cross, Andy Kaufman, Christopher Guest, Mr. Show, Rob Corddry and Children’s Hospital, Gilbert Gottfried, Jeffrey Ross, Bill Cosby, Bobcat Goldthwait, Tracy Morgan, Roseanne, Patton Oswalt, Dave Attell, David Wain and Wet Hot American Summer, Will Forte, John Candy, Lilly Tomlin, Phil Hartman, John Belushi, Mel Brooks and Young Frankenstein, Chevy Chase, Louis CK, Norm MacDonald,Flight of the Conchords, Jim Carrey, Reggie Watts, Steve Martin, Larry David, Rodney Dangerfield, Mitch Hedberg, Ellen DeGenerous, Margaret Cho, Steven Wright, Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Richard Lewis, George Carlin, UCB Theater LA, Upright Citizen Brigade (TV show), Human Giant, Sasha Baron Cohen, Gallagher, Dana Carvey, Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, Danny McBride, Carrot Top, Greg Giraldo, Donald Glover, Zach Galifiankis, Charlene Yi, Andrew“Dice” Clay, Chris Elliot, Jon Lovitz, Artie Lange, Doug Benson, Redd Foxx, Ben Stiller, Ricky Gervais, Dave Chapelle, Chelsea Handler, Aziz Ansari, Eddie Murphy, SF Sketchfest, Cheech& Chong, Sarah Silverman, Stella, Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Brian Posehn, Charlie Murphy and Kids In The Hall.

The show is ongoing until January 29th 2011 in the Melrose Gallery 1988 location. Hirt the jump to see some of my favorite pieces of art from the exhibition.

Trent Reznor Scoring David Fincher’s Version of‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’| /Film

Briefly:Not a lot of info right now, but during a New York Timeslivestream interviewwithTrent Reznor, the musician revealed that he is scoringDavid Fincher‘s version ofThe Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and has been working on the film for about six weeks. He said to expect something different from his score forThe Social Network, though things might change in the year before the film opens.

Right now there isn’t an archived version of the stream, but as soon as something is available we’ll update with more info. (At this point I can’t say with certainty whether this is again being written withAtticus Ross, with whom he worked onThe Social Network, or not.) Big thanks to Breezy for the heads up on the interview.

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‘Three Stooges’ Shortlist Includes Johnny Knoxville and Andy Samberg | /Film

Last month, the feature film version ofThe Three Stoogesmoved from the struggling MGM to 20th Century Fox, along with writer/directorsPeter andBobby Farrelly. Once attached starsJim Carrey, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro were long gone but with the change of studio, the movie once again had a pulse. That pulse is now quickening according toThe Wrapwho reports that“advances have been made, representatives have been approached and discussions have taken place” forJohnny Knoxville, Andy Sambergand Australian comedianShane Jacobsonto play Moe, Larry and Curly. Read more after the jump.

Ron Perlman Talks About‘Conan the Barbarian,’‘At the Mountains of Madness’and‘Hellboy 3′| /Film

AsSeason of the Witchlimps towards theaters, the cast and crew are out doing the press rounds. Among them isRon Perlman, the actor who has been a frequent presence in movies byGuillermo del Toroand who has already shot a part inConan the Barbarian. While doing interviews for his current film, he has dropped some info aboutConan,At the Mountains of Madness, and background for the idea forHellboy 3.

‘Henry’s Crime’ Trailer, With Keanu Reeves and Vera Farmiga | /Film

Henry’s Crime, starringKeanu Reeves,James CaanandVera Farmiga, premiered at TIFF back in September’10, but we’re just getting a trailer for the film now.Malcolm Venville(44 Inch Chest) directs from a script bySacha Gervasi(Anvil!: The Story of Anvil). The film opens in the UK next week, and the trailer is after the break.

‘No Strings Attached’Red Band Movie Trailer | /Film

Paramount Pictures has released a red band movie trailer forGhostbusters/MeatballsdirectorIvan Reitman‘s new comedyNo Strings Attached. The movie follows a lonely doctor (played byCary Elwes) who gets lucky with a pretty co-worker (played byNatalie Portman) in a“comedy about the complications offriends with benefits.” The film costarsAshton Kutcher, Greta Gerwig, Mindy Kaling, Olivia Thirlby, Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes, Lake Bell, Chris‘Ludacris’ Bridges, and the next breakout comedy actor (in my opinion)Jake Johnson.

The film actually started out with another title,Fuckbuddies. Of course, Paramount didn’t want to face the problems associated with releasing a movie under that title, so they changed it toFriends With Benefits, which eventually got changed into the truly horrible titleNo Strings Attached(at least they didn’t go with“No Strings”, the abbreviated title they were testing). The reason they moved on fromFriends With Benefitsis that another film had already staked claim to the titleFriends With Benefits. A day after Paramount releasedthe first trailer for No Strings Attached, Screen Gems releaseda red band movie for their R-Rated romantic comedystarringJustin TimberlakeandMila Kunisfeaturing a very similar premise. I thought that must be what makes them different— one is raunchy, and the other isn’t. Looks like I was wrong.

It seems like Paramount is following suit, and has released their own red band trailer. This is one of those red band trailers which is out to prove the movie isn’t just a cookie cutter comedy and is a filthy r-rated movie. So in other words, how many cuts of swears, nudity and sex can you fit into three minutes (not that that’s a bad thing…). Watch it now embedded after the jump.

Quentin Tarantino’s Favorite Movies of 2010 | /Film

Quentin Tarantinohas released a list of his favorite films of 2010. Hit the jump to see the list.

Watch a 1991 Alka-Seltzer Commercial Directed by and Starring Guillermo Del Toro | /Film

Just when you thought you’d seen everything!Lucky McKeetweeteda link to this 1991 Mexican commercial for Alka-Seltzer. Seems like nothing special based on that concept, but then you see that it is directed byGuillermo Del Toroand features the director as a guy who quickly exits a business meeting because his upset stomach is about to make him transform into a werewolf. Watch the clip after the break.