Leonard Nimoy Lends a Voice to‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ | /Film

In the past couple days there has been a lot of talk about the CGI characters inGreen Lanterngetting voice actors cast well into the post-production process. Seemingly meant just to prove that such a thing happens relatively often, and thatGreen Lanternisn’t in trouble because of it, here’s someTransformers: Dark of the Mooncasting news. While the film has been shot and in post-production for some time,Leonard Nimoywas just cast as Sentinel Prime.

EWannounced the casting, andMichael Baycouldn’t have chosen anyone better to provide the voice for the aged Autobot seen at the end of the film’s teaser trailer. This will be the second time the actor voices a Transformer, as he provided the pipes for the evil Galvatron in the animated 1986 filmTransformers: The Movie. (And between this and Fringe, so much for retiring, eh?)

After the atrocious second film it is probably utter foolishness to get interested in the third, but I can’t help hoping that Michael Bay& Co. learned useful lessons from the problems in the second film. The revisionist Apollo 11 stuff might be fun, even if it is just a small part of the film, and I want to see what working in 3D has done to Michael Bay’s typically frenetic style. If he’s been able to reign in a bit of the excess and actually focus on pushing some characters forward, as he’s claimed, then could this end up being a big step up from the last one? (Yeah, I know: just about anything would be a step up.)

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Geoffrey Rush Voices Tomar-Re in‘Green Lantern’| /Film

Briefly:Yesterday we started to talk about how effects work is still being done onGreen Lantern, and the rumors that many of the film’s CGI characters aren’t even cast yet.One rumoris thatMichael Clarke Duncancould voice the giant alien Kilowog. And now, supporting that as-yet unconfirmed talk, is word thatGeoffrey Rushvoices the bird/fish/ alien Tomar Re.Deadlinesays that Mr. Rush“provided the voice for Tomar-Re, the scientist who works alongside the title character in the Green Lantern Corps.” (The Green Lantern’s Speechjokes begin now.) That suggests that he has already done the voice work, so take that as you will with respect to the rumors that those characters aren’t entirely locked down.

NewGreen Lanternfootage will be shown tomorrow at CinemaCon and there is a new trailer coming soon, so we might have answers to some questions very soon.

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Bill Murray to Play Franklin Delano Roosevelt in‘Hyde Park On Hudson’| /Film

See if you can figure out what to make of this. In JulyBill Murraywill reportedly play presidentFranklin Delano Rooseveltin a film adaptation of radio playHyde Park on Hudson. Never one to make the obvious choice when selecting new roles, Bill Murray seems to be going a bit further afield than usual with this one. And yet it makes a certain sort of sense. He was scarily convincing as a Dick Cheney sort of character inThe Limits of Control, so why not go fully Presidential? You know he’ll own the role if he has half a mind to. More details follow.

Richard Melsonwrote the radio play that aired on the BBC in 2009, and he adapted the script. Directing isRoger Mitchell, who last madeMorning Gloryand directedNotting HillandChanging Lanes.

Set in 1939, the play features FDR and his distant cousin Margaret Stuckley (called Daisy in the play) as they have an illicit affair while King George VI and Queen Elizabeth are making their first visit to America. Per theBBC, here’s the plot overview:

No reigning British monarch had ever been to the United States before George VI’s visit in 1939, just on the cusp of a new world war. History was in the making when the King and Queen arrived at President Roosevelt’s upstate New York home, with a promise of politics, a picnic and hot dogs. But the private life of the President provided a whole new dimension to an epochal moment, at least in the memory of his lover.

The play seems to focus on FDR’s close circle. Eleanor Roosevelt shows up, as does his secretary of 21 years, Marguerite“Missy” LeHand. We don’t know the rest of the cast, but I imagine that when the producers can claim that they’ve got Bill Murray playing FDR they’ll be able to line up just about anyone who is available for the summer shoot. {Vulture}

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Watch Another‘Tron Legacy’DVD Easter Egg Clip Teasing the Return of an Old Villain | /Film

A couple months back there was word that the DVD forTron Legacymight feature a bit of footage that expands the Tron storyline and perhapsteasesa third film in the series. A couple weeks ago we sawTron: The Next Day, which fills in some of the backstory between the two Tron films. And now there is another leaked short clip, only about forty seconds in length, that certainly seems to suggest a continuation of the story. Check it out below.

The best thing here for long-time fans of Tron is what appears to be the return ofDavid Warner. The voice heard here certainly sounds like him. Here’s what is said about the clip on theYouTube page, which basically echoes the early report that announced the existence of this footage:

…this second“teaser” clip, a hidden Easter Egg only available in the American version of the Blu-Ray of TRON: Legacy, features the return of David Warner’s Edward Dillinger from the original TRON, and his son, Edward Dillinger Jr. played by Cillian Murphy in TRON: Legacy. This short clip features them talking on a chat service about the events of“The Next Day” and Sam taking over ENCOM…

{viaBleeding Cool}

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In Defense of‘Sucker Punch’–Uncovering the Method Behind Zack Snyder’s Madness | /Film

{The following contains major spoilers forSucker Punch}

Battle: Los Angeles.I Am Number Four.Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.Clash of the Titans.The Wolfman.Resident Evil: Afterlife.Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

What is it that these tentpole action films have in common?

They all received better reviews thanSucker Punch.

Yes, once hailed as being among the more anticipated cinematic outings of the year, writer/directorZack Snyder‘s fantastical pop culture mash-up was unleashed in theaters this week only to be met withan overwhelming amountof sneering hostility and ridicule. And yet, amidst the critical excoriation of the film for itsspasticoverindulgenceandnumbingstupidity, as well as theoutright repudiationof its girl power themes (even /Film’s own Angie Han hasshared her thoughtson the failed feminism of the film), I stand alone to shamefully whisper: I kind of liked it. And I think it’s about time to give this film its due.

PART I: WHY IT FAILS, AND WHY THAT’S OK

There are three layers of fantasy toSucker Punch— the reimagined hospital“reality”, the reimagined brothel“reality”, and the newly imagined fantasy worlds— and each brings to the film varying levels of self-awareness, peeling back its own layers to allow for further social criticism and/or cultural exploration.

The central problem with the film though is that it’s unable to satisfyingly marry the story to its underlying meta-awareness, causing the entire narrative structure to come crashing down.

Aspects of the story— which takes place in the mid-’50s, just before gender inequality was confronted by the second wave of the feminist movement— are sound, if a little messy. I love that the entire movie exists as a multi-layered dream world in which reality is hinted at but never shown, with Sweet Pea having concocted the character of Baby Doll to spiritually save her— serving as a guardian angel, as the film denotes— in the immediate moment prior to her being lobotomized. I love how Baby Doll serves as a symbolic representation of the real Sweet Pea— a troubled girl who constantly struggles against male chauvinism, and is viewed by her male oppressers (including us) as nothing more than a pouty-lipped sex object. And I especially love how Sweet Pea uses her fantasy worlds to repurpose her past trauma (i.e., accidentally killing her sister when trying to save her) into a deliberate and necessary sacrifice on her sister’s part to help set her free.

But then we arrive at other elements of the film— specifically, the action sequences— that very obviously occur because an intemperate filmmaker wanted to stuff his movie full of genre-blending set pieces, and don’t at all make sense as part of Sweet Pea’s imagination. Perhaps if Snyder had spent as little as 30 seconds establishing Baby Doll as someone with a vested interest in influential pieces of literature and cinema— oh look, she’s a fan of Tolkien and Asimov and Kurosawa! whaddya know!— it would be easier to justify her nonetheless anachronistic visions. But really, I think Zack Snyder would prefer we not even question the character or plot rationale behind it.

Because of this glaring fault,Sucker Punchdoesn’t work as a coherent, self-contained story.

And that’s OK.

Sucker Punchisn’t terribly concerned with story anyway. It gets far greater joy reveling in self-aware cultural reflection, with each additional layer to the overall framework continuing to build on its exploration of geek culture and women’s place within it. Snyder seems intent on getting his ideas onto the screen however he can, treating each action vignette as a short film unto itself, and mirroring them to the outside“reality” more through their dance-like rhythm than anything pertaining to the plot. But when viewed within the greater context of the film, they take on a new relevance, and actually contribute to the narrative in some fairly compelling ways.

This is a film with a lot to offer, and I think the key to being able to appreciate those endearing qualities is a two-step process: (1) Do away with the belief that there are rules a movie needs to abide by; and (2) Accept that this is a picture that willfully forgoes narrative cohesion for what is essentially an attempt at synthesizing blockbuster cinema with avant-garde self-examination.

PART II: FEMINISM FOR DUDES

Sucker Punchis unquestionably a film intended for men. If it seems like the picture’s depiction of empowered females is too heavily skewed by a male gaze, it is. That’s the point. The film is very much about the male gaze, because that’s the lens through which females have been depicted in pop culture. Just as the men in the film are entranced by Baby Doll’s provocative dancing, so too are males in the audience meant to be entranced by these girls’ familiarly arousing attire and sexually suggestive posturing.

Sweet Pea dismisses Baby Doll’s dancing as nothing but overtly sexual thrusting and gyrating. It’s not female empowerment; the only purpose the sexuality serves is to turn guys on, and that still leaves them in a place of being held under the sway of what guys want from them instead of what they want from themselves. So they devise a plan to gain freedom, this time using the power of their sexuality to hypnotize the men and hold them under their sway instead. It’s at this point that the film thrusts us into its several fanciful scenarios, each of which hopes to have exactly the same effect on any young men in the audience.

These action vignettes very deliberately pander to adolescent fantasy, dressing up the girls in fetishistic garb that highlights their thighs, midriffs and frequent upskirts. But just as the girls continue to take back control from the men in the real world, their physical appearance in the action fantasy worlds gradually takes a backseat to their ability to simply kick a ludicrous amount of ass, in very much the same way any male action star might. More importantly, by unifying and fighting together— in both worlds— the girls are able to put forth the effort needed to defy the physically imposing monsters who aim to keep them in their place. They’re fighting to take back the control that’s been taken from them.

While it may be the girls’ sexuality that allows them to manipulate their leering oppressers, they find their true strength elsewhere: In each other.

That’s right.Sucker PunchisThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. But with dragons, robots and Nazi zombies.

PART III: WE NEED TO GO DEEPER

But wait, isn’t there a conflict of interest? How can you denounce something while at the same time so clearly savoring every moment of it?

Sucker Punchisn’t the first film to encounter this point of contention, but it may be the first film to directly confront it. Revenge films, for example, often take great pleasure in depicting violent acts against deserving parties, even while ultimately condemning the act. The message seems hypocritical. But revenge films, like most films, don’t have the luxury of actively separating the grim reality its message is intended to correlate to from the fictional medium its operating within.

Sucker Punchdoes have that luxury, because its unconventional format affords it the opportunity to convey that exact distinction.

Yes, the girls inSucker Punchare sexy, and that has its merits— I seriously doubt Zack Snyder would deny that, since he takes as much pleasure showing off sexy school girl imagery as he did greasing up bulging abs and biceps in the beefcake-heavy300— but on one level you have playful fantasy, and on the other level you have harsh reality, and as depressing as it is to admit, we still have yet to reach the point where guys (a lot of them, anyway) seem capable of separating the two. And that’s whatSucker Punchis: Zack Snyder’s attempt to separate the two. Literally.

By bluntly transitioning between the misery-amplified“real world” and the fun cartoon fantasy world, the film introduces a very clear delineation between what’s acceptable and what isn’t. It manages to confront the all-too-real prospect of girls being used and abused in society, but does so without negating the visceral appeal of strong, sexually-charged females in pop culture.

Some may find that to be a mixed message, and it’s easy to understand why: It’s almost impossible for depictions in pop culture to operate free from their social context, since their relation to reality is always lingering over them. But consider: Nobody complained when300similarly objectified the male form for the purposes of substance-free, popcorn entertainment. Why? Because men don’t live in fear of being objectified. And if Zack Snyder had his way, the same would be true of women. But it’s not. So, throughSucker Punch, Snyder has drawn the line as he sees fit, fighting for a world where take-charge female badasses are allowed to be empowered by their sexuality without running the risk of being seen exclusively as fuck objects for men.

The problem lies with the world we live in, not withSucker Punch‘s depiction of feisty, leather-clad heroines. We choose how we want to perceive people of either sex, regardless of the clothes they wear. It shouldn’t be necessary for women to fear and abandon their inherent eroticism to make progress in the world. They should be free to embrace it, without worry of being labeled a whore or a victim of rape. You want true equality? There it is.

PART IV: HATERS GONNA HATE

As a whole, I thinkSucker Punchis a seriously flawed effort. But it’s not fair to write the film off as being a completely mindless one. In an age of derivative shit likeBattle: Los Angeles, an amibitious failure likeSucker Punchis something to be supported and admired, not violently derided and shunned. Many may deem it a disaster with a deeply confused sense of morality, but surely there’s something to be said for trying something new. Isn’t that, above all else, what Hollywood is in need of right now?

I’m not arguing that you shouldn’t hateSucker Punch.

All I hope is that you’re hating it for the right reasons.

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On Zack Snyder’s‘Sucker Punch’: Why Ass-Kicking and Empowering Aren’t Always the Same Thing | /Film

{The following contains major spoilers forSucker Punch}

IsZack Snyder‘sSucker Punchexploitation or empowerment? That’s the question that’s been floating around sinceeven before the film was released, and it’s a pretty obvious one given that the movie wasmarketedentirely on the appeal of scantily clad young women wielding big ass weapons. Most of the reviews I’ve read of the film at least touch on the issue, and Snyder has preemptively addressed it in interviews by saying he intends the film to be empowering to women.

It’s not.

Sucker Punchmay look like empowerment on the surface, sure. At first glance, Baby Doll and her gun-toting pals appear to be refreshing antidotes to the weak, helpless, ditzy female creatures that populate so much of modern cinema– including a great many films aimed at women. The girls ofSucker Punchfight back, hard. In a society that’s still unwilling to officially allow female soldiers to engage in combat, their spirit and courage seems like a step forward. (Unofficially, of course, female soldiersare already engaging in combat, but that’s another topic.)

The thing is, though, that the trope of the ass-kicking hottie is nothing new. She’s a common figure in anime and video games, for example, and appears in films likeKill BillandThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She’s not always offensive, but she’s not inherently empowering, either. If she’s framed in the same old male gaze, she ends up being just another variation of the same old male fantasies.

And make no mistake:Sucker Punchmay star five beautiful actresses, but in actuality, it’s all about the men. Men are the audience, both in real life and in the bordello fantasy universe where most of the film takes place. Men set the plot in motion, and act as villains and leaders. The girls look and act like walking male fantasies, and the movie makes sure we see them that way –by dressing them up in skin-baring outfits, lingering on their conventionally hot bodies, and oh yeah, making their attractiveness to men a huge plot point. In fact, the girls’ entire escape plan hinges on one character’s ability to mesmerize men with her sexy dancing.

The girls really only kick ass in their dreams— or rather, in a dream within their dream— and even there, a man is calling the shots. Only one of the five girls makes it out of the asylum alive, and that girl is Sweet Pea— the girl who feared male power the most from the very beginning. And even when she gets out, she seems meek and powerless. In the final scenes of the film, she’s confronted by two policemen investigating incidents in the area. She’s unable to speak up for herself, and only gets off the hook when the male bus driver (Wise Man, from the girls’ fantasy-within-a-fantasy) comes to her defense.

Moreover, although Snydersaysthat“hopefully by the end the girls are empowered by their sexuality and not exploited,” this is not at all what happens. Sexuality is treated as a weapon from the very beginning, for both genders. For the men, this means sexual assault. Though no rape actually occurs in the film, the threat of it hangs over the entire film— whether explicitly, as during the attempted rape scenes, or more subtly, as in the shots of men inappropriately and possessively leering at the girls. Later, as the girls begin to fight back, they use their sexuality as weapons as well– by using it to dupe men long enough to steal their things. And to drive the point home, whenever Baby Doll is performing her sexy, sexy dance, she jumps into a violent fantasy of explosions and gunfights.

But the men, at least, seem to take pleasure in sex. The girls are never seen as enjoying their sexuality on their own terms. In fact, Baby Doll’s face as she launches into each dance routine wears an expression of pain and humiliation. Which, seeing as every man but one in this movie is a deranged sicko, is probably part of the appeal.

So to summarize, yes, the girls kick ass, but they only do so within the context of fighting back against men who already have power over them. Most of the girls don’t win, and the one who does still needs a man to help her and look after her. In this light, Snyder’s claim thatSucker Punchis empowering isn’t just false, but damaging. It reframes feminism – or “female empowerment,” if you’d prefer not to use the F-word – in terms of male fantasy. In other words, it’s okay for ladies to kick ass and shit, as long as they do it in a way that turns men on. I’m not saying this was Snyder’s conscious intention – I seriously doubt it was – but that’s the message that comes across to this viewer.

Sucker Punchis straight up exploitation. There’s no winking here, or clever spins, or any of that. And that’s fine, to a point. Exploitation films have their own kind of value, and I get that. What bothers me isn’t so much the cute girls in skimpy outfits, but Snyder’s notion that women like me are supposed to find them empowering. AsJezebel’s Dodai Stewart put it: “Sucker Punch is a two-hour $82 million fetish film examining how hot sad schoolgirls look when holding weapons. Snyder should have just made a porn movie — it might have been better, and it definitely would have been cheaper and more honest.”

What’s frustrating about the sexism ofSucker Punchis that if Snyder really wanted to make a film that was more than pure exploitative fantasy, he could’ve easily done so. There is a way to show beautiful ladies fighting in a way that’s not exploitative –Buffy the Vampire Slayeris an obvious example of a girl who regularly beats people up, but also happens to be attractive. It’s also possible to take exploitation tropes and turn them on their head, as Quentin Tarantino did inKill Bill. (WhetherKill Billqualifies as feminist is a whole other line of discussion, but for now, suffice it to say it’s miles better thanSucker Punchin that department. And in most other departments, for that matter.)

So, what’s the difference between a badass female character and a lazy stereotype of a badass female character? The answer is simple, though you wouldn’t know it from the number of two-dimensional ladies Hollywood churns out every year: You give her an inner life, and you prioritize that inner life overher outer appearance. Your powerful female character doesn’t have to be ugly or dressed in frumpy clothes – go ahead, put her in stilettos and a push-up bra – but if her attractiveness to men is all there is to the character, she’s nothing more than an object.

Cowboy Bebop’s Faye Valentine makes a good example of how to write a conventionally sexy female character who’s more than just a conventionally sexy character. Not only is she physically perfect in that way that anime women so often are, her outfit is just as skimpy as the ones inSucker Punch, and she wields a weapon every bit as well as Baby Doll. The difference is that Faye has a distinct personality, a history, an inner life. These make her a character you care about, even while you’re admiring how smoking hot she is.

Likewise, though the women ofKill Billare uncomplicated and supermodel-gorgeous, they showcase a physical and emotional power in a way that’s sadly absent fromSucker Punch. Even as we’re reveling in fantasies of chick fights and dragon ladies and naughty nurses, we’re admiring how strong the ladies of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad are. Though their looks are a large part of the fun in watching them, there’s more to these women than surface appearances. As I pointedout earlier, Sucker Punch is only comfortable showing girls fighting when it’s in a second-level fantasy, and even then they have to look hot the whole time.

Of course, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. IfSucker Punchhad deepened its characters, it wouldn’t work quite so well as the mindless, indulgent fantasy it is now. Part of the film’s appeal is undoubtedly its very brainlessness – you get to check your mind and emotions at the door, and just indulge your id for a couple of hours. You wouldn’t be able to do that as easily if you had to actually invest in the film and its characters. For my money, though, aSucker Punchthat featured real characters instead vaguely drawn archetypes would’ve made for a far more satisfying experience.

Sucker Punchisn’t the most misogynistic film out there – there are far, far worse. But it’s not progressive, either, and that’s why the argument that it’s “empowering” bothers me so much. If you want to revel in two hours of hot chicks in skimpy clothing fighting dragons and undead Nazis and shit, that’s your prerogative. Have fun with that, and enjoy it for what it is. But please don’t pretend I should be celebrating it.

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This Week In Trailers: The Swell Season, Donor Unknown, Let The Bullets Fly, Bombay Beach, Beyond The Black Rainbow | /Film

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: I celebrate all levels of trailers and hopefully this column will satisfactorily give you a baseline of what beta wave I’m operating on, because what better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? Some of the best authors will tell you that writing a short story is a lot harder than writing a long one, that you have to weigh every sentence. What better medium to see how this theory plays itself out beyond that than with movie trailers?

The Swell Season Trailer

Enraged.

Absolutely enraged that I can’t see this movie, right now.

Part of me realizes that saying that those of you who didn’t at least feel a littlesomethingwhen watchingJohn Carney’sOnceare a bunch of unfeeling robots who ought to have their hipster cards revoked is absurd but, there is that part that does wholly believe it. Watching Glen HansardandMarkéta Irglovámove in between one another in that film was like watching real love blossom and then slowly see it give into the forces of human entropy. But that was a movie, right?

From the looks of this trailer, though, it seems like this movie will have more in common with something like Wilco’s 2002I’m Trying To Break Your Heartthan it does your usual concert film. Directors Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins,andCarlo Mirabella-Davislook like they’ve decided to take the black and white route and it’s a road well taken as it just makes us focus on what’s in front of you.

The trailer literally dumps us at the epicenter of what looks like a contentious moment between a couple. It’s damn near uncomfortable to watch as Hansard is getting a talking to but it’s brilliantly placed because it’s telling us everything we need to know about this movie. It’s going to be emotional and hard and real as when the camera swings to Glen, who looks lost and defeated, you wonder what it is that’s going on here. You can’t help but be curious to know what that poor guy did.

And almost as if we just given half a thin mint cookie we get a musical interlude that includes some concert footage and behind the scenes antics that is nothing short of engaging. It’s only a few seconds, though, but it’s more than enough. It leaves you wanting so much more and that’s when we get Markéta again. This time, though, she’s singing quietly next to Glen. Besides wondering if Glen has ever heard of Jheri Curl, I mean how can you look at that tightly wound perm on his melon and not be transfixed by it, it’s about as close as you’re going to get this week to a perfect trailer.

Beyond The Black RainbowTrailer

Bear with me on this one.

Yes, it seems self indulgent and experimental and feels like it could be art for art’s sake but there is just something alluring about this trailer. It’s creepy. DirectorPanos Cosmatoslooks like he has made something truly unique and it has completely disarmed my ability to talk about it in a coherent fashion because there is no narrative here.

Even though the music is one constant that does not change as we are assaulted with these stark images of things that don’t make much sense there is a sublime beauty to it all. The cinematography catapults me back to another time, another place, this place having no tether to any reality I know, but there does seem to be evil sticking to every frame.

A girl appearing skeeved out by the crazy things around her is about as close as you’re going to get to a humanistic tether and make the case why you should check out more of what you see. This movie is selling itself based on its ability to stand apart from anything else you’ve seen in the last few months and it does it admirably.

The best way to explain what’s going on, or least the best way I can process this trailer, is liken it to a piece of art. Whereas 99% of the other trailers you consume would belong in a public viewing area for everyone to enjoy, something like this belongs in one of those side street art studios where people go in knowing it’s not Thomas Kinkade. This is something else entirely.

Donor Unknown Trailer

Honestly, and this is a place for honesty, I didn’t care forThe Kids Are Alrightif only because it supposes that lesbians might slip up and crave some chub once in a while. I didn’t buy it then and I certainly had issues with this beleaguered plot device after the third or forth time I’ve seen it employed in other films. DirectorJerry Rothwell, however,is making me believe that here is a movie that deals with the sperm donation issue in a matter that’s really interesting and with a little more depth than its commercial doppelganger.

What’s special about this trailer is that even though it follows a very traditional path of storytelling it doesn’t ruin things by telling too much. You would think that explaining the plot away with establishing what it is we’re going to see, the stories of some girls who want to know more about the sperm donor that was their dad, would be an anticlimax but there is real heart here.

Besides seeing how many loads this guy dropped (dozens upon dozens, this guy was helping to populate a small village using only the power of vigorous knuckles) and how many lives were created from this man’s donations a picture emerges, literally, of how even though they were spawned by different mothers these offspring all physically resemble one another in an uncanny way. The process of these half-sisters and brothers reaching out to find one another, the New York Times story that covered this odd situation providing even more sizzle to this odd tale, is coupled with us finding out more about this guy who seems all but destitute, living the life of a gypsy.

What’s more, leaving the trailer hanging before even one of these offspring meet the man who started it all is a really nice touch. It’s such a close approximation to The Kids Are Alright, with the exception that this is full-on reality, that I’m wondering what will be a more compelling viewing experience: the story dreamed up in a writer’s room or the utilitarian nature of a process that happens every day? I’m thrilled to find out, though.

Bombay Beach Trailer

Its beauty is somewhere between its weirdness and the uneasiness you feel as you watch this trailer.

Documentary filmmaker Alma Har’ellooks like she’s crafted a movie that looks like it’s T.S. Eliot’s“The Waste Land” come to life, or death, depending on your viewpoint. It’s perfectly apropos here because we start this trailer looking at a kid playing on a beach, hearing his voiceover, but listening him depict the most strange account of a hanging you’ll hear all day. It seems so innocent to hear how this child processes what it’s like to go through one of the most tried and true methods of human extermination but as we transition from watching this youth to seeing a home video of some guy in a coffin, it’s jarring. However, I get it. It’s effective.

And the entire trailer is just like that, moments that seem to slip and slide on top of one another in a pastiche of sparse human experiences. From seeing dead animals all caught up in barbwire, to seeing an average mom squeeze off a few rounds with a pistol, to experiencing the joy of teenagers just being teens at a football game there is too much to try and wrap your arms around here and make sense of in a way that’s meaningful or understandable.

Again, it’s entirely appropriate and I understand the reasoning behind why things are constructed this way because, ultimately, this trailer is a thing of beauty. There does seem to be an inordinate amount of suffering and sadness on display but there are the vestiges of why people keep slogging forward in their lives, these kinds of lives, day in and day out. I can only imagine that watching this film will either make you believe in the indomitableness of the human spirit or make you wonder what’s the point of it all if a place like this exists. I’m hoping it’s more of the former but you never quite know sometimes.

Let The Bullets Fly Trailer

I did not seeWen Jiang’sdonation toNew York, I Love Youso I can’t say for sure whether this is a director that I should be excited about or roll my eyes at. I’m a blank slate with ol’ Wen.

Using the musical cue that was used last year from the :30 Super Bowl spot forG.I. Joewas a nice touch to get people acclimated to the sensibility and speed of what’s happening but it also had the added benefit of rushing through all the superfluous back story we sometimes can get bogged down with in these sorts of trailers. I don’t mind not knowing what exactly is happening as long as I’m promised a treat of some kind and what we get here feels closer toThe Good, The Bad, The Weirdand that’s glorious.

I dare anyone, without consulting IMDB, to try and decipher the many things going on in this trailer other than the action which is popping out from every angle. Just when I think someone will at least provide a little context we get someone drawing a weapon or someone being held against their will in a battle that seems to be more than just two-sided. So many people are clashing in this movie that I think it’s an all out royal rumble which will be fine by me as long as what’s ultimately driving things is a fun story.

I liked The Good, The Bad, The Weird because it was a fun romp and that what we’re coming to see isn’t a deep examination of the essence of being human. Rather, it’s people smacking people and lots of old school martial arts set in the old west with an uptempo spirit and cinematography that uses a lot of colored lighting.

I haven’t been excited by anythingChow Yun-Fathas done in years and I am just hoping, based on what little I see here, that we’ll get something to wash away the stink ofDragonball: Evolutionfrom our collective conscious.

Note bene: If you have any suggestions of trailers to possibly be included in this column, even have a trailer of your own to pitch, please let me know by sending me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com

In case you missed them, here are the other trailers we covered at /Film this week:

• Pom Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Trailer-He’s theMichael Mooreof Gen X. This trailer’s peppy, upbeat, and the insertion of the Matt and Kim ditty underlines that what you’re going to see is nothing but absurdity.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Trailer-This trailer certainly makes me want to take another chance after the last installment left me a little cool. The mermaids, though, that’s what really has me interested.
• The FP Trailer- It’s a funny trailer but the question is whether it can carry the joke over a full film.
• Another Earth Trailer-Lot of navel gazing going on here with the amount of talking. I don’t get anything telling me why I should see this film and that’s no bueno when I could be watching the Swell Season documentary trailer again.
• Hop Trailer #3- I just can’t get excited for a movie like this. Looks like it will test the collective wills of the parents who will have to sit through it.
• 11-11-11 Teaser Trailer-Maybe it’s just me but it looks pretty basic and not very exciting.
• Cinema Verite Trailer #2-The cinematography is lovely and the story is timely. Free couldn’t be a better price to see this.
• Sympathy For Delicious Trailer- Interesting premise, a little maudlin and bombastic in areas, but overall this is a good trailer.
• Mr. Popper’s Penguins Trailer-Bland, boring, and generic trailer for a milquetoast looking film.
• Last Night Trailer- Wow, will he or won’t he? I’ve just got to see another movie about a guy who’s conflicted about getting into the sack with another woman.
• Captain America Trailer- This is exactly what a summer movie trailer should be. Just a pure rocket ship ride of excess. Dig it.
• The Big Bang Trailer- I really want to like this, I do, as it seems like it’s an explosion of different styles and tones but something just doesn’t work for me in this trailer.

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Joel Edgerton, Dominic Cooper, Luke Evans and Garrett Hedlund to Test for‘The Bourne Legacy’| /Film

The last time wechecked inon casting forThe Bourne Legacy, it seemed that basically every male actor under a certain age was being considered for the lead. Now it looks like casting is narrowing down a bit as the film moves forward. We can’t say for sure which names have been eliminated, but we do know which actors are scheduled for screen tests at the moment:Joel Edgerton,Dominic Cooper,Luke EvansandGarrett Hedlund(who, along with Alex Pettyfer, seems to be up for every major role in Hollywood these days). A few other names are still in the running as well. Read more after the jump.

Deadlineposted the list, which names the actors set to test in the first week of April. Other names still in the mix includeShia LaBeouf, who reportedly will not test, andTaylor Kitsch, who has already met with directorTony Gilroy.Logan Marshall-Greenmay also be under consideration, and there’s still a chance that Gilroy may go with someone else entirely. Edgerton, Hedlund, Evans and Kitsch were among the names we reported as being contenders last month, while Cooper, Marshall-Green and LaBeouf were not.

The Bourne Legacywill be the fourth installment of the Bourne series, and the first without Matt Damon, who starred as Jason Bourne in the first three films. The new film will take place in the same universe as the other Bourne films— Bourne just won’t be the main character. Gilroysaidin an interview:

I’m not going to get into the plot, but you saw the other three films, you know everything that happened, and it’s not a dream sequence. What I can say is, you thought that was the whole world, but it was a small piece of what was going on. Ultimatum exploded at the end with people arrested. We deal with that as a reality, it has ramifications that echo out into the larger world. And of course, Jason Bourne is still alive and out there in the world.

The Bourne Legacyisscheduledto open August 3, 2012.

Discuss:Who’s your pick for the new Bourne star? I’m rooting for Kitsch or Edgerton, myself.

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Page 2: Elizabeth Taylor, X-Men, Edgar Wright, The Black Hole, Gene Wilder, The Shining, Hanna, Simpsons, JK Simmons, Hop | /Film

What is Page 2?Page 2 is a compilation of stories and news tidbits, which for whatever reason, didn’t make the front page of /Film. After the jump we’ve included36different items, fun images, videos, casting tidbits, articles of interest and more. It’s like a mystery grab bag of movie web related goodness. If you have any interesting items that we might’ve missed that you think should go in /Film’s Page 2–email us!

FunnyOrDielists The 55 Best‘Simpsons‘ Headlines

Masters Degreelists 50 Best Movies for Women’s History Month.

JK Simmons(Spider-Man) lends his voice to the commercial for the video gamePortal 2.

Rotten TomatoesrecallsRobert De Niro‘s best reviewed movies.

IRON MAN 2.0 #4 Thor Goes Hollywoodcomic book covervariantbySebastian Fiumarais a parody ofThe Social Networkmovie poster.

SplitSiderlists The 10 Most Memorable Guest Stars OfThe Adventures of Pete And Pete.

YouTube user Gimpytor has posted a fake set visit report fromZack Snyder‘sSuperman.

Genevieve Valentinehas posted an very very serious editorial titled “Sucker Punch: A Very Serious Essay on Feminism”

TINPbrings us this awesome vintage photo ofGene Wilderon the set ofWilly Wonka& the Chocolate Factory.

EWlists 18 TV Shows That Replaced a Star.

Continue Reading Page 2>>

Due to the amount of graphics and images included in Page 2, we have to split this post over a BUNCH pages. Click the link above to continue the second page of Page 2.

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Casting Bits: Samantha Morton in David Cronenberg’s ‘Cosmopolis;’ Alan Rickman in ‘Gambit;’ Rick Yune in RZA’s ‘The Man With the Iron Fists’ | /Film

The casting forDavid Cronenberg‘s adaptation of theDon DeLillonovelCosmopolishas been an up and down affair, with original talents Colin Farrell and Marion Cotillard dropping out.Robert Pattinsonis now the male lead— he plays a young billionaire who deals with quite a few problems as he spends a day crossing Manhattan in his limo. Also in the cast areJuliette BinocheandPaul Giamatti.

And now Robert Pattinson tellsMTVthatSamantha Mortonis in the film, and that a new young actress has been chosen to play his character’s wife, but that he can’t yet reveal her name. I’m very interested to hear who that will be, but in the meantime having Samantha Morton in the cast is a great thing. She is reliably excellent, and even without knowing her specific role the fact that she is cast says good things about the movie overall.

After the break. The Coen Brothers-scriptedGambitgets Alan Rickman, and Rick Yune is in RZA’s kung-fu movie.

Quite a few years backJoel and Ethan Coenwrote a script to remake the’60s romantic heist movieGambit, and it is finally about to get made.Michael Hoffman(The Last Station) is directing, withColin FirthandCameron Diazin roles originated (more or less— a few things have been tweaked) by Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.

NowAlan RickmanandTom Courtenayhave joined the cast, according to a press release. Crime Scene Pictures says that“Rickman will portray Lord Shahbandar and Sir Tom Courtenay will step into the role of The Major.” Given that the film is summarized as“Harry Deane (Firth), a London art curator, enlists a Texas Rodeo Queen (Diaz) in a scheme to con the richest man in England,” we might presume based on this new info that Alan Rickman is the target of the con. Which is fantastic. Trying not to get my hopes up too high here, but how can you not be at least a little bit excited for this one, if only for the Coen Bros. dialogue?

Finally,RZAandEli Rothhave reportedly wrappedThe Man With the Iron Fists(or, possibly,Man With an Iron Fist) and the management for martial artist, boxer and actorRick YunetellsThe Wrapthat he was in the film along withRussell Crowe,Lucy Liu,Pam Grierand RZA.

The film has been generally low-profile, owing to the fact that it shot in Shanghai and Hong Kong. I have no idea what to expect from the film, which is RZA’s first serious foray into directing, with Universal backing the film and quite a varied cast on board. But I can’t wait to see it.

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‘Hop’ Trailer #3 | /Film

Universal Pictures’ Illumination Entertainment (the guys behind the computer animated featureDespicable Me, have released a third movie trailer for the upcomingRussell BrandEaster Bunny comedyHop. Watch it now embedded after the jump. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Directed byTim Hill(Alvin and the Chipmunks) based on a  script is byCinco Paul,Ken DaurioandBrian Lynch. Described as“the world’s worst houseguest,” Brand plays an Easter Bunny who is accidentally injured by an unemployed slacker played byJames Marsden, who is then forced to take the holiday creature in until he recovers. As one might expect, wacky hijinks ensue, and both characters eventually“learn what it takes to finally grow up.” The film co-starsKaley Cuoco, Elizabeth PerkinsandHugh Laurie.

Trailer #3:

Official One Pager:

Starring: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, Elizabeth Perkins and Hugh Laurie
Screenplay By: Cinco Paul& Ken Daurio and Brian Lynch
Directed By: Tim Hill
Produced By: Chris Meledandri, John Cohen

Plot Outline:

From the creators of Despicable Me comes Hop, the comic tale of Fred (James Marsden), an out-of-work slacker who accidentally injures the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) and must take him in as he recovers. As Fred struggles with the world’s worst houseguest, both will learn what it takes to finally grow up. The live-action / animated film is helmed by Tim Hill, director of the blockbuster Alvin& the Chipmunks and produced by Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me).

Hopwill hit theaters on April 1st, 2011.

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The Hobbit: Official Set Photos Released, Production Begins, Facebook Page Launched | /Film

Warner Bros/New Line Cinema and MGM have announced the start of production onThe Hobbitin New Zealand, which includes a full update on the signed cast (many of which have been previously announced or rumored, but a couple new additions):

Martin Freemantakes the title role as Bilbo Baggins andIan McKellenreturns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played byRichard Armitage(Thorin Oakenshield),Ken Stott(Balin),Graham McTavish(Dwalin),William Kircher(Bifur)James Nesbitt(Bofur),Stephen Hunter(Bombur),Rob Kazinsky(Fili),Aidan Turner(Kili),Peter Hambleton(Gloin),John Callen(Oin),Jed Brophy(Nori),Mark Hadlow(Dori) andAdam Brown(Ori). Reprising their roles from“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy areCate Blanchettas Galadriel,Andy Serkisas Gollum andElijah Woodas Frodo.Jeffrey ThomasandMike Mizrahialso join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

DirectorPeter Jacksonhas also launched a facebook page which will be updated throughout the production. The first updates includes two production photos featuring Jackson in a couple of the completed sets. Hit the jump to see everything.

Production Photos:

Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Jackson/141884481557

Start of Production press release:

PRODUCTION BEGINS IN NEW ZEALAND ON THE HOBBIT, PETER JACKSON’S TWO FILM EPIC ADAPTATION OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S TIMELESS CLASSIC

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit…

Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.

“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

“The Hobbit” is produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, alongside Carolynne Cunningham. Executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens as co-producer. The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson and Walsh, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.

Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson’s crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King. Costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop. Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film’s visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

“The Hobbit” films are co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM. The two films areplanned for release in late 2012 and 2013, respectively.

ABOUT NEW LINE CINEMA:
New Line Cinema continues to be one of the most successful independent film companies. For more than 40 years, its mission has been to produce innovative, popular, profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line produced the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which is a landmark in the history of film franchises. New Line Cinema is a division of Warner Bros.

ABOUT PETER JACKSON/WINGNUT FILMS:
Peter Jackson is one of the world’s most successful filmmakers. His monumental achievement co-writing, co-producing and directing The Lord of the Rings trilogy (with fellow Academy Award winners and frequent collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) earned a total of 30 Academy Award nominations and 17 Academy Awards. Jackson and Walsh received their first Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for their acclaimed film Heavenly Creatures. Jackson, through his New Zealand-based Wingnut Films banner, also was responsible for the globally successful 2005 remake of King Kong which earned over $500 million worldwide and 3 Academy Awards. Jackson most recently directed the Academy Award nominated The Lovely Bones; an adaptation of the acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, which to date has earned nearly $100 million worldwide; and produced the global sensation, District 9, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He is also developing a trilogy of films with Steven Spielberg based on Tintin, the world renowned comic book series by Herge. In 2010 he received a Knighthood for his services to film.

ABOUT METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in domestic and international TV channels reaching over 130 countries. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

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WTF: In Chile, the Jedi Temple Will Teach Your Child Martial Arts | /Film

At first I had no idea what to make of this, then I was surprised we haven’t heard about something like this before. In Quilpué, Chile there is a school called The Jedi Temple, which serves specifically to“give children a unique way to study martial arts.”

Before you say“I want to go to there,” check out more info after the break.

The school’s second session just started yesterday, and the school’s director told theBBC,

as a yoga instructor in taekwondo and I got the idea to integrate these disciplines with meditation and do something more holistic and funny, looking to entertain children and interpret those characters who are fans. (via translation)

The school has 20 students ranging in age from 6 to 12, and uses replica lightsabers for training in addition to teaching general martial arts, performance and meditation. They’re trying to hire additional kung-fu and katana instructors.

(Note: the photo above is sadly not from the Chilean Jedi Temple. It is via aFox News Latinoreport about the Star Wars: In Concert  stop last year in Las Vegas. Too good to be true if it was from the academy.)

{ToplessRobot}

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Discuss: Would Subtitles Help or Hurt a Heavily-Accented Movie Like‘Attack the Block’? | /Film

There has been a minor argument going on today over the filmAttack the Block, which showed at SXSW and drew raves from a great many critics and audience members. The argument is minor because relatively few people have seen the film, but it could have some impact on howyousee it. Specifically, there has been talk thatAttack the Block, which takes place in a South London housing project and features some pretty heavy accents, might be subtitled for US release.

The first mention of this came inTHRa few days ago, which said,

…one of the movie’s strengths is that it makes its characters authentic, giving them the heavy-accented and slang of the English language from inner-city London. This is giving distribution execs, many of whom like the movie, pause. There is talk of having subtitles for any North American release.

This led to quite a few discussions and articles atJoBlo,FSRand on Twitter, with an argument there well-recounted byBadass Digest. The question in each case is: should the film be subtitled, and isn’t it a little weird that anyone would subtitle a film that is in English for an English-speaking audience? (Note, of course, that this has been done before with some British films, and not always for comedic effect.)

I’ve scanned reviews, I haven’t seen any that even mentioned the actors’ accents as an issue in any significant way, so I wonder to what degree this is just idle conversation. Regardless, in an interview atio9, directorJoe Cornishdoesn’t seen to have an issue with the idea, saying,

Yeah, well whatever it takes. I would just love people to see the film. You know, deep down, I think that you guys can deal with it. I think distributors should be adventurous, and I think it’s easy to underestimate the public. As long as the subtitles were switch able to switch off so the more adventurous people could just watch it as it is.

But he also makes the point that in sci-fi films— andAttack the Blockis sci-fi, with the South London kids fending off aliens— unfamiliar languages are often part of the landscape. The film has some slang that will be unfamiliar to most US viewers, but Joe Cornish says that he specifically chose a small collection of words, and that they’re repeated just enough that anyone actually watching the film will learn them via context by the end. (Shades ofA Clockwork Orange.)

Given that the film is unlikely to ever be more than a limited theatrical release in the US, going out sans subtitles— like almost every other film— seems to be the way to go. In the long run, most people that will see the film will catch it on DVD or Blu-ray, in which case they’ll be able to choose subs if so desired. But for the theatrical release, let’s allow people who want to see the film see it as is. No one watching it at SXSW seemed to have any problem— in fact, it is one of the most unanimously-praised films to screen at the fest. If that audience can handle it, every other audience in the US can, too.

But what do you think— would subtitles on a film likeAttack the Blockbe an insult, or a useful crutch? Check out the trailer below as a guide to how the film might play, and weigh in.

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Confirmed: Kevin Costner is Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder’s Superman | /Film

Another piece of rumored casting just became official. DirectorZack Snyderhas signedKevin Costnerto play Jonathan Kent, adopted father to the Man of Steel (Henry Cavill) and husband to Martha Kent (Diane Lane), in his new version ofSuperman. There’s no word exactly how extensive Costner’s part is, but seeing him back on the big screen in a film of this magnitude is truly, pun intended, super. Hit the jump for more info.

The Hollywood Reporterofficially broke the news of Costner’s deal coming through and speculate that, depending on what angle Snyder’s film takes, he could pass away on screen.

Snyder’smost recent commentson the film hinted at that direction:

Literally, the one thing that everyone can start to think about is that we’re making a movie that finally goes with the approach that there’s been no other Superman movies. If you look at  ‘Batman Begins,’ there’s that structure, there’s the canon that we know about and respect but on other hand there’s this approach that pre-supposes that there haven’t been any other movies.  In every aspect of design and of story, the whole thing is very much from that perspective of respect the canon but don’t be a slave to the movies.

What do you think of how Lane and Costner will portray the Kents?

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Zack Snyder’s‘Superman’Won’t Be Tied to Any Previous Movie | /Film

When Bryan Singer madeSuperman Returns, he was very specific in making a film that felt in many ways  like a sequel to the original 1978Supermanby Richard Donner. The titles, the music, the costume— all were chosen to reflect the’78 film. That became one of many discussion points for the movie. For some the homage to Richard Donner was a great thing; for others it was one of several big missteps in Bryan Singer’s movie.

NowZack Snydersays that we should expect hisSuperman, which starsHenry Cavillas the man from Krypton, to be tied to no previous film featuring the character.

The director tells theLA Times,

Literally, the one thing that everyone can start to think about is that we’re making a movie that finally goes with the approach that there’s been no other Superman movies. If you look at  ‘Batman Begins,’ there’s that structure, there’s the canon that we know about and respect but on other hand there’s this approach that pre-supposes that there haven’t been any other movies.  In every aspect of design and of story, the whole thing is very much from that perspective of respect the canon but don’t be a slave to the movies.

Zack Snyder also says something that may perk up the spirits of Superman fans who thought the Bryan Singer film didn’t have enough action:

Our Superman, he’s got things to figure out but he’s a physical cat.

Not that we’d expect anything else from the guy who made 300 and Watchmen, the latter of which featured more violence than some people expected.

Other than a seeming confirmation thatKevin Costnerwill play Jonathan Kent, the article offers no new casting info (the director says it will be“consistent in its…awesomeness“) and there is no word on the costume, though we can expect to see an official shot before shooting starts, so that spy photos won’t get to scoop that reveal. He praises Christopher Nolan as a collaborator, and seems to suggest that this vision of Superman will go beyond what we’ve seen before:

You know that if you do Superman right— or at least if you do him with respect — you know you end up with something great…. {but} in some ways {beyond} that is virgin territory. No one knows what that is. In some ways Superman is the most recognizable superhero on the planet but also the most unknown. Just what he can be? People have preconceived ideas about him but probably all of them are wrong.

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Page 2: Batman , Looney Tunes, Conan O’Brien, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, The Fighter, Elmo | /Film

What is Page 2?Page 2 is a compilation of stories and news tidbits, which for whatever reason, didn’t make the front page of /Film. After the jump we’ve included46different items, fun images, videos, casting tidbits, articles of interest and more. It’s like a mystery grab bag of movie web related goodness. If you have any interesting items that we might’ve missed that you think should go in /Film’s Page 2–email us!

SexySpider-Womancosplay.

Bradley Cooperconfirmsthere won’t be anA-Teamsequel: “I loved it too. But unfortunately, outside of you, a few of your friends and myself, there just wasn’t enough revenue to supply a second installment of that franchise.”

Watcha deleted scene featuringChristian BalefromThe Fighter.

Danny McBridethinksthe third season ofEastbound& Downwill be the last.

ArtistBobby RubioimaginesWolverine, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler as the boys from The Hangover.

City SlickersdirectorRon Underwoodwill directa ski team comedy calledWoodchucks.

Total Film Magazine has publishednew photos fromThor.

Relativity Media hassigneda multi-year distribution deal with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment that will cover the marketing and distribution of Relativity’s films on DVD and Blu-ray.

Boba Fett is a Chickenspottedat Emerald City Comic Con.

Deadlinesays Mars Needs Moms 3D“is going to be one of the biggest money losers of all time.”

Continue Reading Page 2>>

Due to the amount of graphics and images included in Page 2, we have to split this post over a BUNCH pages. Click the link above to continue the second page of Page 2.

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