End of the Year Sale! Up to 90% off select movie collectibles!

Wow wow wow! What a year it has been. Not only have we seen some of the best movies of the last few years, but 2011 also gave us some of the freshest and most innovative movie collectibles. That's what happens when every other film is based on a superhero or graphic novel. To help celebrate, our friends at Entertainment Earth are holding their big end of the year blow out, where you can find up to 90% off select toys, action figures, and other movie collectibles! It's the perfect way to stock up and get a jump on 2012! So don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to fill your shelves. Take part in the end of the year clearance sale by clicking right here today!

The Worst and Most Disappointing Movies of 2011

If my Top 25 movies of the year was my way of honoring those that have left an indelible positive mark in my mind, this list represents those that I wish my brain would block as some sort of protective measure. Essentially, putting together a worst of the year grouping is the same process. It's all about movies that stick with you for any number of reasons over the months, and your desire to shout "Avoid this movie at all costs!!" never wanes in that period of time. Seeing as many movies as I do, it's unavoidable that I run across some dregs, and in a way I sort of seek them out. Perhaps after I've been at this a few more years it'll become less entertaining to see just how low Adam Sandler can sink, or if Kevin James can humiliate himself in any new fashion. For now, I feel like it's hard to appreciate just how great some movies are without swimming through a little sewage, and these next five films certainly represent the cinematic refuse of the year in my book....

Uh oh, is 'Piranha 3DD' headed straight-to-DVD?

The writing may have been on the wall way back in October, when it was first noted that Piranha 3DD, the John Gulager-directed sequel to last year's fishy horror, had been bumped from it's November 23rd release date. No new date was set in place, and now almost three months later there still isn't a day when we can count on seeing the film in a theater. Could it be because we never will, and it'll end up on Wal-Mart store shelves instead?

In the UK, the answer is clear. Piranha 3DD will be released straight-to-DVD on March 19th, according to the British Video Association(via Shocktilyoudrop). Could the same thing happen here in America? Certainly, the sequel has less buzz surrounding it than Alexandre Aja's film did, even after the relatively positive response the trailer received at the Scream Awards a couple months back. For now, nothing is certain but it may be that Dimension Films doesn't have the confidence that a Piranha sequel can come close to the $80M haul of the original, and maybe a smaller scale roll out is in order.

Piranha 3DD features the return of Ving Rhames as Deputy Fallon, who we all saw get eaten alive in the last film. Christopher Lloyd is back as eccentric biologist Dr. Goodman, with Paul Scheer returning as cameraman Drew Cunningham. Katrina Bowden, Gary Busey, David Hasselhoff, Danielle Panabaker, and David Koechner are the new additions to the cast.  The BVA also released a new synopsis for the film, which you can check out below....

Will Ferrell is a bad ass gringo in new poster for 'Casa de mi Padre'

Aye dios mio! Los papas fritas! Or something like that. My Spanish isn't so good, but I'm guessing it won't be much of a problem when it comes to Casa de mi Padre. We've seen a pair of trailers already for Will Ferrell's rather ambitious Spanish-language comedy, and both look crazy and overwrought like something off of late night Telemundo.

From the "gringos who brought you Anchorman", Ferrell plays Armando Alvarez, who has worked and lived on his father's failing ranch in Mexico all his life. As the bills mount, all appears to be saved with the arrival of his successful brother, Raul(Diego Luna), and his sexy new fiance, Sonia(Genesis Rodriguez). But when Armando falls in love with Sonia, and Raul's business proves to be a little murky, things spiral out of control as they get in deep with a violent drug lord(Gael Garcia Bernal).

The latest poster for the film continues painting Armando as some sort of epic hero, even though he looks to be more of an epic goof. He'll probably stumble into victory somehow, in true Will Ferrell fashion. I'm curious to see how this film plays to American audiences .We'll find out when it rides into theaters on March 16th.

New toy merchandise gives better look at The Lizard in 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

This is what you get when it's a slow news week, like it always is between Christmas and New Year's. We've seen a glimpse of how Rhys Ifans might look in The Amazing Spider-Man through other types of merchandise before, such as the PEZ™ dispenser from a few weeks ago, and now here is another in the form of some sort of toy remote control. Thanks to Idle Hands for these images....

Rumor: Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Black Sands' now a supernatural thriller titled 'Black Sunday'

So what the heck is going on with Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest action thriller, Black Sands? If you recall back in October, the Governator signed up for the rather bland sounding flick which looked like a throwback to the 1980s films by John McTiernan. Directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, the duo behind the military recruitment actioner, Act of Valor, the story was described as being about a loner who goes on a one-man war against a weapons manufacturer and his private army. Well, according to some there has been a pretty drastic shift.

It all started on the fansite, The Arnold Fans, where it was revealed that the film's title had been changed to Black Sunday, and that it's now a supernatural thriller with Arnie playing an immortal angel taking on weapons dealers. Ugh. So....basically it's Constantine meets Eraser? Recently a rep for the film has stated that the title will remain Black Sands, but apparently the "supernatural" bent is here to stay. Perhaps it was always there from the beginning and nobody ever knew except for writer Skip Woods(The A-Team)?

As Shocktilyoudrop correctly guessed, the new plot does sound an awful lot like what The Punisher comic books did a few years ago during their most confused period ever. That was when Frank Castle committed suicide and was brought back as an angel equipped with heavenly weaponry who fought demons and battled crime. It was awful, and the last thing I expected was to see it reborn in a Schwarzenegger flick.

We'll see how this shakes out in the end, but it doesn't sound good. Schwarzenegger is currently filming The Last Stand due out in 2013, and will appear next in The Expendables 2 on August 17th 2012.

TNA Wrestler Elijah Burke appearing in 'The Dark Knight Rises'

This is one of those little things that appeals to me instantly because it combines my love of professional wrestling with my obvious love for movies. The two of you who currently watch and enjoy TNA Impact Wrestling may know the name "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero. He's basically a street preacher/pimp who makes it rain cash as he struts to the ring.......during the few occasions he gets TV time. He previously wrestled in the WWE under his birth name, Elijah Burke, and is one of the great underrated performers working today.

WhatCulture recently revealed that Burke has a role in The Dark Knight Rises, which has now completed filming. He'll be appearing as one of Bane's henchman, so it's unlikely he has any dialogue. But it's still sorta cool to see him amongst Bane's flock. In the above image, Burke can be seen on the right in a blue and white striped hoodie, next to two gentlemen with very big guns. How cool would it be if Nolan somehow worked in Burke's boxing pedigree(he had 102 KO's in his amateur career) into the story? I wouldn't bet on it, but still very cool.

The Dark Knight Rises rolls into theaters on July 20th!

For today only, get Lost: The Complete Collection for only $99.99!

For today only and while supplies last, you can get Lost: The Complete Collection on Blu-Ray and DVD for only $99.99! This is the ultimate grab for only the most diehard Lost fans, complete with all six seasons of the hit series, plus 32 hours of bonus content. That's not all, as it also includes a replica of the infamous island, deleted scenes, and an entire history of the show from it's geek roots at Comic-Con to it's breathtaking final episode. 

Just go here to order the 36-disc set on Blu-Ray. Or if the 38-Disc DVD set is more your speed, then here is where you need to go. Don't miss out on this amazing deal by waiting!

Trailer Time: 'Nameless Gangster', starring Choi Min-sik

Anytime Choi Min-sik(Oldboy, I Saw the Devil) is in a new flick it's a cause worth celebrating, even if the role require he be rendered unrecognizable. In his upcoming crime pic, Nameless Gangster, Min-sik put on an astonishing amount of weight for the lead role as Choi Ik-hyun, a corrupt customs officer who becomes one of the biggest drug pushers in Korea just as the government begins it's crackdown in the 1990s.

Directed by Jong-bin Yun and co-starring Ha Jung-Woo(The Yellow Sea), this new teaser trailer has a definite Goodfellas vibe coursing through it. Since it's in Korean, atmosphere is pretty much all we have to go on, but this being a Min-sik film I'm hoping it finds a way onto our shores eventually.  Check out the trailer for Nameless Gangster below....

A pair of new images from Spike Lee's 'Red Hook Summer'

Initially described as being a "spinoff" or "continuation" of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, his highly anticipated Red Hook Summer has grown considerably since then. We're hearing less about the return of Lee's popular Mookie character, and a more thorough fleshing out of the plot. With Sundance on the way, a pair of new images have been released from the film, as well as a more thorough synopsis.

New, awesomely weird clip from Quentin Dupieux's 'Wrong'

After a strange teaser trailer and now this brief, very specific clip for 'Wrong', I'm left just as confused as ever. Fortunately I think that's exactly what Quentin Dupieux is aiming for. This is, after all, the guy who gave us last year's oddball killer tire flick, 'Rubber'. 

Starring Jack Plotnick, who also featured in Rubber, the film centers on a guy in search of his lost dog, and along the way runs into a strange assortment of characters. One of whom appears to be a Master Chang. Sounds like some sort of ninja master.  Dupieux has gathered a more notable cast this time around, including William Fichtner and Alexis Dziena.

With Sundance right around the corner, expect to see plenty more from Wrong in the next few weeks. For now, check out the clip below, courtesy of our friends at Bleeding Cool...

Slick new retro poster for Lee Daniels' 'The Paperboy'

This being a Lee Daniels' joint, you might expect his latest adaptation to be titled 'The Paperboy, based on the novel The Paperboy by Pete Dexter'. But it's not. The director, who shot to stardom a couple of years ago for the sullen and heavy handed Precious(a good film, but overrated), took a totally different path for his follow-up, and he's rounded up an amazing cast to help him do it.

The Paperboy is a gritty crime yarn starring Matthew McConaughey as Ward James, an idealistic reporter who alongside his college drop out brother, Jack(Zac Efron), investigates the years old murder of an unscrupulous local sheriff. The man convicted of the crime(John Cusack) now sits on Death Row, while the woman who has never met him but is convinced of his innocence(Nicole Kidman) does whatever she can to get him set free. That may or may not include striking up a romance with Jack.

The first poster for The Paperboy, a striking retro image sure seems to indicate a romance between Efron and Kidman's characters.  Developed over the course of a decade by Dexter and Pedro Almodovar, I was weary when Daniels came aboard because he lacks the subtlety that the Spanish filmmaker could have brought to the project. But I take some solace in that Almodovar is overseeing it as a producer, and the cast they've put together means the source material must be pretty strong.  Honestly, I'm kindof excited to see how this shapes up.

The Paperboy doesn't have a firm release date set just yet, but should hit theaters some time in 2012.

Kate Beckinsale is fully loaded in new 'Underworld: Awakening' poster

The latest poster for Underworld: Awakening may be my favorite yet. Simple, showing Selene(Kate Beckinsale) looking like she just smoked a couple of lycan fools. The Underworld movies aren't particularly complicated. Battle trained and heavily armed vampires locked in mortal combat against feral werewolves, with Beckinsale tramping around in skintight leather. If Twilight helped make vampires considerably less cool than before, Underworld has done a decent job of maintaining their icy, vicious mystique.

Opening in just a few weeks on June 20th, Undeworld: Awakening has Selene waking up after a 12 year slumber into a world where humans are set to wipe out both her clan and that of her lycan enemies. Michael Ealy(Takers), India Eisley, and Sandrine Holt co-star.

Loki and Tony Stark square off in new Russian trailer for 'The Avengers'

It speaks to how undeniably cool The Avengers concept is that we buck our usual practice of ignoring foreign trailers just so we can delight in a few seconds of new footage. The latest trailer hails from Russia, and it seems to be casting a spotlight on Tom Hiddleston's evil trickster god, Loki. Included in that is a brief but slick showdown with Tony Stark that goes a little something like this...

Loki: "I have an army." 
Stark: "We have a Hulk."

We should be getting a new trailer for Joss Whedon's superhero team-up soon, and hopefully that scene will be included. The Avengers stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner. Check out the trailer below...

1st look poster: 'The Baytown Disco', starring Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria

What happened to Billy Bob Thornton? It wasn't that long ago that he was an actor of some acclaim, but I'm trying hard to think when his last really good role was? I may have liked Faster, but it wasn't asking much of him. It seems like lately he's fallen into a rut of straight-to-dvd actioners headed up by no-names that would've been far beneath him just a few years ago.

Case in point, the latest poster for The Baytown Disco, which has Thornton sharing the headline with Eva Longoria of all people. Directed by Barry Battles(!?!), the film centers on three rowdy hitmen brothers who find themselves on the wrong side of the law when they help a sexy lady escape her abusive ex-husband.  Andre Braugher, Clayne Crawford, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Meagan Good, Agnes Bruckner, and Paul Wesley co-star.

When's it coming out? Not sure, but I bet it'll be on a Tuesday and filling up Wal-Mart store shelves right next to the Steven Seagal collection.

Matthew McConaughey strips down in 1st look at 'Magic Mike'

Christmas may be over, but for a lot of women out there I'm betting that the above image is like Santa dropping off one final amazing gift down the chimney. THR has provided the first look at Magic Mike, from director Steven Soderbergh and featuring a beefcake heavy cast of Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello(True Blood), Matt Bomer, and a bunch of people less buffed and oiled. In the above image we get a look at the majority of the cast, including McConaughey in his default shirtless, looking like they're about to perform a patriotic rendition of YMCA. The story, which sounds like a male version of Showgirls, follows a veteran stripper(Tatum) who takes a young upstart(Pettyfer) under his wing and shows him how to shake his wang for crisp $1 bills. Olivia Munn, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Cody Horn co-star. Ladies, commence swooning. Magic Mike teases it's way into theaters on June 29th! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Review: War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg

After half a century being in the business of making crowd pleasing, emotional classics, Steven Spielberg hasn't had a month quite as busy as this one. With two releases coming out within a week of each other, watching them side by side makes it easy to tell which one was done for fun, and which is a good ol' fashioned reach for Academy Award attention. The latter would be War Horse, a sprawling, family geared fairy tale about a horse's noble journey through WWI.

Awesome trailer mash-up of next year's biggest blockbusters!

Thought 2011 was the year of the blockbuster? It's got nothin' on 2012, with The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-Man, Prometheus, The Hobbit, Men in Black 3, The Hunger Games and at least two dozen more right around the corner. It's going to be insane, and Mark Brandon has put together one bad ass trailer mash-up of what's in store. Pretty sick, dude. Awesome job!  Check it out for yourself....

Marvel picks 'Game of Thrones' director, Alan Taylor, to direct 'Thor' sequel

Marvel appears to have finally put an end to their troubles finding a director to take over their Thor sequel. Then again, we thought it was over when Brian Kirk was named, and then again when Patty Jenkins was hired. Both of them left, and in recent weeks two Game of Thrones directors were said to be the frontrunners for the job: Alan Taylor and Daniel Minehan. Deadline reports that Marvel has made their choice and it's Taylor, who hasn't directed a full-length feature since 2003's Kill the Poor. Anybody see it? Didn't think so.

Marvel seems intent on going with cheaper lesser known talent for the job, which to me doesn't bode well. Or maybe they were just in a hurry, since Jenkins' abrupt put the film's November 15th 2013 release date in jeopardy. The entire cast is expected to return for the sequel, including stars Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.

Trailer Time: 'Bad Ass', starring Danny Trejo as the Epic Beard Man!

Seriously. This is what movies have sunk to, creating an entire feature film that on it's face appears to be based on the Epic Beard Man, who became a Youtube sensation back in 2010 after a violent, racially charged altercation on a bus. In case you may have forgotten, it was in February of last year when 67-year old Thomas Bruso, wearing a shirt which read "I Am a Motherfucker" got into a heated exchange with a 50-year old African-American man named Michael. The video, which is below, doesn't show how the argument started, but it quickly devolves into racial slurs, egged on in a lot of cases by the bus's passengers. As things heat up, Michael jabs Bruso in the chest, and then catches a combination platter to the face from the old man. Check out the Youtube vid and see for yourself....

Trailer Time: John Carter, starring Taylor Kitsch and Mark Strong

One of the things I liked the most about Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom novels(and some of his other works as well), is that he inserts himself into the story. He does it by imagining the adventures that lay ahead were stories passed down to him, and he is simply retelling them to us. We haven't seen much of that in the trailers for John Carter yet. Actually we haven't seen much of anything before Carter touches down on Mars. Fortunately that is rectified in this latest international trailer for it.

Starring Taylor Kitsch, the story centers on the war weary titular hero, who is mysteriously whisked away to Mars, where he finds more war, but on a planetary scale. To save the planet's inhabitants from destroying themselves, he must fight in order to unite the warring factions.  Willem Dafoe, Lynn Collins, Mark Strong, Samantha Morton, Thomas Haden Church, and Dominic West co-star, with Andrew Stanton(Wall-E) directing....

Red Band Trailer: The Devil Inside, directed by William Brent Bell

Paramount is putting a lot of marketing muscle in William Brent Bell's exorcism flick, The Devil Inside. A bold move considering the terrible response to this year's The Rite, which nobody cared for even though it starred Anthony Hopkins doing a poor man's Hannibal Lecter impersonation. Perhaps they see an opportunity to capitalize on the success of 2010's The Last Exorcism, which won over viewers by taking the familiar premise and, through a combination of superb acting and handheld camera techniques, giving it a "this crap could really happen" spin.

The latest red band trailer for The Devil Inside has been released, and it's the craziest by far. My suggestion is that if your stomach is easily turned by twisted, broken bone structure or by blood flowing from some unfortunate places, then this might not be the trailer for you. The basic story is of a young woman who seeks out two unconventional exorcists to cure her mom from demonic possession.  I'm actually kinda excited for this one, and these types of movies aren't usually my bag. The Devil Inside opens on January 6th....

PDC Live ep. 125: War Horse; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, We Bought a Zoo

It's the holiday season, and as usual Hollywood has seen fit to bury us beneath a mountain of new movies. We've got a lot to cover this week as we'll take a look at two Steven Spielberg movies, the animated The Adventures of Tintin, and War Horse. Then we'll dive into the spooky world of David Fincher's remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Plus we'll get our spirits lifted with Cameron Crowe and his family comedy, We Bought A Zoo! And last but not least we'll spend a few minutes with the silent film that has had critics raving, The Artist!

It's a jam packed show, so we hope you'll join us in the chat room tonight at 6pm eastern, courtesy of Blogtalkradio!

Hear Taylor Swift's new song, 'Safe and Sound', from 'The Hunger Games' soundtrack

This is really the only way you're going to get me to listen to a Taylor Swift song voluntarily, by adding i to the soundtrack of a film I'm itching with anticipation for. Last night, Swift tweeted a link to her new track, 'Safe and Sound', which will be featured in Gary Ross's The Hunger Games.  I checked out about thirty seconds of it before zoning out, but it's pretty inoffensive. I can see Katniss(Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta(Josh Hutcherson) making out to it in between dodging fireballs and kids with murderous intentions.

My lukewarm response to it aside, Swift's tactic proved successful as #safeandsound quickly become the top trending topic on Twitter. I'm sure that means something somewhere. The Hunger Games opens next year on March 23, but you can check out 'Safe and Sound' below....

Trailer Time: 'Underworld: Awakening', starring Kate Beckinsale

If it's January, that means it's time for yet another Underworld movie. The latest, Underworld: Awakening, is the fourth in the series but takes place after Underworld: Evolution. Why? Because the last one, Rise of the Lycans, was a prequel that didn't feature series star Kate Beckinsale and is best left forgotten. But now she's back as the elite vampire warrior, Selene, in a fight against both the humans and her hate rivals, the lycans. If you have to ask what a lycan is then chances are you won't be seeing this film anyway.

Directed by Bjorn Stein and Mans Marlind, Underworld: Awakening has Selene waking up into a world where humans are on the verge of wiping out the vampire and lycan clans. If she has any hope of surviving, Selene will have to work together with her hated enemies to end the human threat.  Michael Ealy, Stephen Rea, and India Eisley are the newest additions to the cast, which unfortunately won't see the return of Bill Nighy or Michael Sheen. They were always just a little too good for these movies anyway. Opening on January 20th, Screen Gems has released a new trailer to get your blood goin'. Check it out below....[Cinemablend]

Dan Akroyd cast in the Ferrell/Galifianakis political comedy, 'Dog Fight'

Where's Dan Akroyd been lately? The former SNL vet and comedy icon has been busier than you might think. When he's not getting a script for Ghostbusters 3 shredded and unceremoniously dumped on his doorstep by Bill Murray, he still finds time for the occasional role, like being the lead voice in Yogi Bear or showing up for a couple episodes of The Defenders(is that show still on??).

It's been four years since we actually saw his face on the silver screen, though, and he's set to make his return in the promising political comedy, Dog Fight. Akroyd should feel right at home amongst this cast of comedic heavyweights, with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis starring as two rival politicians jockeying for votes in a small, southern congressional district. Jason Sudeikis, Brian Cox, Dylan McDermott, John Lithgow, and Will Forte co-star. Akroyd's role is unclear at this point

Jay Roach is directing, and he seems to have a particular fondness for the political process. He previously directed the HBO film about the 2000 presidential election scam, Recount, and just finished wrapping up Game Change, on the 2008 campaign. Dog Fight should hit theaters on August 10th, but really, does it have a prayer of being as loopy as the real life Republican primaries? [Moviehole]

New look at 'The Congress', from the director of 'Waltz with Bashir'

Hopefully, patience is a virtue to those of who have been waiting for Ari Folman's follow-up to 2009's animated Waltz with Bashir, one of my favorite films of that year, and chronicles his own experiences during the Lebanon War. Titled The Congress, this rather ambitious sounding film is something totally different, for one it's an adaptation of Stanislaw Lem's short story, The Futurological Congress, and is a mix of live-action and animation.

The story is a big leap from 'Bashir's' personal perspective, in that it's essentially science fiction, centering on an aging actress(Robin Wright) who takes one last job to make ends meet and support her kid(Kodi Smit-McPhee). Her decision has some pretty awful consequences, as the studio takes her image and scans it in order to use her likeness as frequently as they wish, making her irrelevant.  Danny Huston and Paul Giamatti make up a part of the cast as well.

Folman recently revealed to Cinemascopian that the film is progressing along steadily, but we've got darn near a year until we see anything concrete....

Seth Rogen preps spy comedy 'The B Team' for Disney

It's been a crazy busy 2011 for Seth Rogen, one that's seen him branching out from playing the lovable goofball to actually tackling roles with some dramatic heft. If that was his goal, he couldn't have picked better co-stars to do it with than Joseph Gordon-Levitt(50/50) and Michelle Williams(Take This Waltz). In between he still found time for a little fun, lending his voice as the snarky alien in Paul and to Kung Fu Panda 2. No, I didn't forget The Green Hornet but frankly it was the least of his achievements this year.

There's not much on his plate for next year, so Rogen looks to be filling some time with a spy comedy titled The B Team, which he'll be prepping for Disney. At this point he's only slated to produce, although there's the chance he'll star. The story comes from a script by Derek Guiley and David Schneiderman, writers behind the Mandy Moore/Matthew Goode rom-com, Chasing Liberty.  So yeah, expectations are pretty low. The B Team will focus on a top grade secret agent who gets captured  and has to be rescued by his team of flunkies. If you'll recall when the film was first picked up back in 2008, there was a dispute over the title because of 20th Century Fox's adaptation of The A-Team. The B Team shared the title with another film, which eventually became the Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg comedy, The Other Guys.

Spy comedies are a mixed bag. For every great one, like Top Secret, there's crap like Spy Hard. This being a Disney film, it'll probably be pretty harmless. [Variety]

The Artist, starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo

Quit turning up your nose. To far too many people, watching a black and white silent film like The Artist sounds about as fun as watching grass grow. Despite it's lack of special effects sizzle, The Artist packs a ton of pizazz and style into one delightful package. Directed with love and care by Michel Hazanavicius, his love for the silent films of yesteryear bursts through in every single scene.

We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson

Picture this. Hollywood sex symbol shrugs aside all glamor for a role as a struggling, heartbroken father living in a natural paradise, forced to take on the paternal duties he had been shunning for years after the loss of his wife. Oh, and he has one rebellious kid, and a younger, innocent, easily impressionable child in desperate need of emotional protection. It might sound like a story outline for The Descendants, but it's really the basic setup for We Bought A Zoo, Cameron Crowe's first film since the critical disappointment that was Elizabethtown, and it maintains his usual mix of  optimism, teenage angst, and eclectic soundtracks. If Crowe lost his step a little six years ago, he's more than regained his footing, as We Bought A Zoo is the type of heart tugging, crowd pleasing family film not just perfect for this holiday season, but anytime you need a boost of pure joy.

Whit Anderson fired from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' remake. Thank goodness.

Remember that Buffy the Vampire Slayer remake we first heard about late last year? Blocked it from your mind? I don't blame you. The idea was to remake Joss Whedon's film which starred Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry, and served as a springboard of sorts to the classic TV series featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar.  Fans were in an outrage for any number of reasons, from the fact that Joss Whedon had nothing to do with it, to the hiring of unknown screenwriter, Whit Anderson.

Turns out Anderson may have bit off considerably more than she could chew. Hero Complex reports that the studio felt that Anderson's script was way off the mark, so bad that it's been utterly rejected, and that she has been removed from the project completely. A writer is still being sought to replace her, but with the loyal Buffy fanbase in a frenzy over the remake, it's possible that the plans may be shelved altogether. Hell, even Whedon himself thought it was a terrible idea...

Whedon: “This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths — just because they can’t think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.”

Obviously he was having a little fun at his own expense there, but his point was clear.  Nobody would have been served by a Buffy remake, so why bother? Deep sigh of relief over here.

Trailer Time: 'Detachment', starring Adrien Brody and Christina Hendricks

It's probably been a few years since you've seen anything worth mentioning by Tony Kaye, the director of the intense American History X. His latest film, the school room drama, Detachment, debuted earlier this year at Tribeca, and reviews have been mixed at best. Certainly it doesn't look to be as deep as 2008's The Class, but with the ensemble cast he's put together there's no way it can be a total bust.

The film covers a few weeks at a high school, seen through the eyes of a cynical substitute teacher(Adrien Brody). Over the course of his time there he sees his attitude and outlook on the profession changed by three women who enter his life.  Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, James Caan, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, and Bryan Cranston, William Peterson, and Tim Blake Nelson co-star. 

There's a tentative release date set for February, but nothing has been set in stone. Check out the trailer below....

Disney Update: Pixar's upcoming dinosaur film now titled 'Frozen'; 'The Avengers' confirmed in 3D

Is Pixar going all Ice Age on us or what? Last August, the hit-making animation studio set aside a couple of release dates for two of their big projects coming our way in 2013 and 2014. One, set for May 30th 2014 appears to be the home for Peter Docter's high concept film taking place inside the mind of a young girl. But the first one, which we had been calling the Untitled Pixar Film About Dinosaurs, had locked up a date of November 27th 2013. Today Pixar announced that the film will be titled Frozen, and yes, it will still be about dinosaurs.

My Top 25 Movies of 2011

161 movies. That's roughly 320 hours spent sitting in a darkened theater, usually side-by-side with my film critic mates. That's a lot of time, a lot of popcorn, and frankly all the movies start to blend together after awhile. It's the nature of the job. That's not me complaining, mind you. Movies are what I love, even more than pro wrestling, hip hop, and Meat Lover's Pizza. Ok, maybe not that last one.

Even with a lot of these films starting to merge together in my mind, there are always so many great ones that it's hard to put together a list like this. I started out with something like 40 movies, and whittled it down over the course of the last couple of days. Some of these films are of the more mainstream variety, like Fast Five, some are hard hitting documentaries like Project NIM, and others take me back to my childhood like Super 8 and Winnie the Pooh.  As someone who started ranking his favorites way back when I was a child, I take these things pretty seriously. My opinions on all of these films have shifted and evolved over time, but this list represents my thoughts on them as of right this very moment. And so, without further ado, let's take a look at my Top 25 movies of 2011...

Trailer Time: Prometheus, directed by Ridley Scott

A phenomenal week for debut movie trailers reaches it's apex with the release of Prometheus, Ridley Scott's film which to me sure looks like it ties into 1979's Alien. Just how much is anybody's guess, and the trailer, which doesn't show us much, does feature some imagery to support that notion. In particular, Scott doesn't seem to have forgotten the heavy air of anxiety and terror prevalent in his sci-fi classic. Then there are more direct correlations, like a crewmember suffering from what appears to be acid burns to the face.

Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts have apparently put together a story significantly larger than Alien ever was, with much bigger questions being proposed, stretching back to the origins of the human race.  Personally I'd rather it remain a bit simpler than all that, but the whole idea has got me pretty excited. The cast features Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, Kate Dickie, Rafe Spall, Noomi Rapace, Sean Harris, Guy Pearce, and Patrick Wilson. 

Check out the new trailer below....

Tony Jaa to star in Malaysian fight sequel, 'KL Gangster 2'?

The struggles of Thai martial arts superstar, Tony Jaa, have been documented fairly well here on this site. Frankly, we love Tony Jaa here, and we consider movies like Ong Bak and The Protector to be two genuine classics. Nobody throws an elbow like that guy. But the turmoil surrounding Ong Bak 2 and the nonsensical Ong Bak 3(nearly made my worsts list) sent Jaa scrambling to a monastery to become a monk for a year. Seriously. Well now he's back, and he looks to be ready to reclaim his throne as the best action star on the planet.

Trailer Time: Bel Ami, starring Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman

As we're starting to get our first looks at Robert Pattinson in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, it's easy to forget that the Twilight thesp has another film coming out next year that has been flying mostly under the radar. That would be  Bel Ami, based Guy de Maupassant's 19th century novel about a petty military officer's rise to becoming one of the most powerful and corrupt journalists in Paris. Uma Thurman plays a colleague and eventual lover who helps him solidify his power base. Kristen Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci co-star, with the film directed by theater vets Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. The novel has been adapted a few times before, including a 1947 version starring Angela Lansbury.

I like some of the movies Pattinson is making to ensure he's not forever saddled by the spectre of Edward Cullen. He seems to be taking a more artsy route than his Twilight castmates, but there's nothing wrong with that. Look for Bel Ami to open next year on March 2nd, but for now check out the new trailer.....

Trailer Time: This Must Be the Place, starring Sean Penn and Frances McDormand

With Paolo Sorrentino's 'This Must Be the Place recently added to the Sundance line-up, a new trailer has been released for it and I still can't figure out what it's aiming for. Much of the film's buzz has centered around Sean Penn as a former rock star, heavily made-up, with a fritzed out wig. For good reason, when you first him it can be pretty jarring. He plays a guy who desperately wants to find the man who tortured his recently deceased father while a prisoner at Auschwitz. Yep, Sean Penn: Nazi Hunter.

While the exact tone is pretty hard to pin down, I'm getting a Jim Jarmusch/Charlie Kaufman vibe off of it. If that's true, this could be great. Or it might be a disaster. The supporting cast features Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch, and one of my personal faves, Kerry Condon.  Check out the trailer below...

Sure Shots: The Avengers; David Yates; Ghostbusters 3

* Is Pepper Potts(Gwyneth Paltrow) going to appear in The Avengers after all? She long ago said Potts didn't have a role to play in next summer's superhero jam, yet she's been listed as part of the cast on IMDB for ages, not that it means anything. Except that a recent story in The Hindustan Times regarding the dubbing of the film into Hindi seems to indicate that Potts will indeed show up next to her sorta boss/sorta lover Iron Man. Consider this a rumor for now. [BleedingCool]

* We're still a ways off before David Yates, director of the last four Harry Potter films, takes on his big screen version of Dr. Who. For his next project it looks like he'll be doing something smaller and less sciencey(I know that's not a word). Yates will direct Your Voice In My Head, an adaptation of the memoir by British journalist Emma Forrest. The book tells of the death of her psychiatrist, the one who's compassion rescued her from a history of self destructive behavior. Forrest will adapt the memoir herself, with production to begin next summer. [Variety]

* Whether or not Ghostbusters 3 ever gets off the ground doesn't mean squat to me. I stopped writing about it long ago, but this is too good to be totally ignored. Recent reports are that Bill Murray, who has never wanted to come back for the film, hates the script by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg so much that he shredded it up and sent it back to them with a note stating "Nobody wants to pay money to see fat old men chasing ghosts!" He's right about that. Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis were said to have been fuming! Expect them to just go ahead and make the movie without him, which will be a disaster. [National Enquirer]

Trailer Time: Goon, starring Seann William Scott

There are a number of reasons why I'm having a hard time getting into the hockey comedy, Goon. For one, it stars Seann William Scott, an unfunny actor who has been living off his Stifler role in American Pie for more than a decade. What's he done since that anybody cares about? Bulletproof Monk? *snort!* Second, it's about hockey, which unless I bought a ticket has about as much appeal as a bloody anal cyst. And three, it's directed by the middling Michael Dowse, who earlier this year gave us the disappointing 80s rehash, Take Me Home Tonight. 

Plus the film just looks stupid and sophomoric. That's not usually something I would rail against, but it's stupid, sophomoric, and not particularly funny, either. The only exception might be Liev Schreiber as another hockey hatchetman looking like an extra from Sons of Anarchy.

The latest trailer has been released ahead of the film's March 30th release. I'll trust that the usually reliable writing duo of Jay Baruchel(who also co-stars) and Evan Goldberg(Superbad) are hiding something great here, but as my homie John Nolan previously noted, it looks like Happy Gilmore. To me that's not a good thing.....

Trailer Time: Game Change, starring Ed Harris and Julianne Moore

Oh yes, I've been waiting for this. Those who know me realize that I'm a political animal, almost as deep as my love for movies. So when the time comes that I get to blend my two greatest passions it's like somebody took my fondest wishes and wrapped them in bacon. One of my favorite political films of the last few years was Recount, the HBO movie from Jay Roach and Danny Strong which followed the craziness surrounding the 2000 Presidential Election(like when the Supreme Court illegally handed the office over). Well now Roach and Strong are back in the political meat grinder with Game Change, based on the book by Mark Helperin and John Heilemann.

In terms of sheer wackiness, few campaigns will ever measure up to the 2008 run by John McCain, the aging and grumpy former P.O.W. so desperate to become President he tapped an unknown Alaska wild card named Sarah Palin to be his running mate. We know how that all turned out. McCain got thrashed at the polls and has since become the grumpy old man at the movies complaining about there being "too many trailers". Palin continues to be a cancer and perpetual victim, lobbing grenades from the safety of her Facebook page. 

Unlike the book, which focused on both the McCain and the Obama campaigns, the film seems to be looking primarily at the Republican side of the fence. In the first trailer released today, Ed Harris looks pretty spot on as the haggard old war horse, increasingly frustrated by the "rogue" he's unleashed on the world. The real hook here is Julianne Moore, at her folksy best as the half-term Alaska governor. Woody Harrelson plays McCain adviser Steve Schmidt(aka the "Schmidt-Head), with Ron Linvingston, Jamey Sheridan, Peter MacNicol, Melissa Farman, Justin Gaston, and Alex Hyde-White making up part of a great cast.

The Emmy race begins here, doesn't it? Game Change looks to be a sure fire winner, due to hit your TV set in March. Check out the trailer below....

Abigail Breslin joins the cast of 'Ender's Game'

Admit it. If you were one of those who endured New Year's Eve, you thought it was weird watching the heavily made up Abigail Breslin racing around town flashing her bra at people. She was and probably always will be Little Miss Sunshine to us, even as she makes the awkward transition into more mature roles. Her next big move? Stepping into a long-awaited adaptation of a revered science fiction novel.

Breslin will join Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Brendan Meyer, Hailee Steinfeld, and the recently confirmed Harrison Ford in Ender's Game, based on the series of novels by Orson Scott Card. She'll play Valentine Wiggin, Ender's older sister and one of his fiercest protectors during his training at Battle School. Ford, who was first rumored for a role last month, will play Colonel Hyrum Graff, Ender's manipulative trainer at the school. Production is set to begin in just a couple of months.

Gavin Hood(Tsotsi, X-men Origins: Wolverine) is both writing and directing, and frankly he's proven to be a mixed bag. I liked that Rendition drew attention to one of the great injustices frequently committed by our military, it just should've been in a more convincing story. Tsotsi justifiably took home the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2005, and Wolverine....let's just say the canucklehead has never faced an enemy as vicious as it's horrible script. [Variety]

New image of Michael Fassbender in 'Prometheus'

It's predictable to expect a flood of Oscar worthy films to all crash theaters at the end of the year like this, but what is unusual is to see such a flurry of activity surrounding the movies of next year. Or even 2013. This week alone we've seen trailers for The Hobbit, The Dark Knight Rises, and let's throw in Wrath of the Titans as well. It's been pretty crazy, and if you're a diehard film fan it must've felt like Christmas came early.

It's not over yet as tomorrow brings the trailer for Prometheus, Ridley Scott's sci-fi film which we believe has ties to 1979's Alien, even if he continues to downplay it. It seems pretty clear that at least some of the Alien mythology will be at play, while the title 'Prometheus' seems to indicate that a greater alien species will have a hand in the evolution of a lesser one, likely to be us poor humans.

Empire has unveiled a new image from the film, featuring Michael Fassbender and his surfer boy blonde haircut as David, an android not unlike Ash or Bishop from the previous films. It doesn't actually tell us much except at some point David will carry a flashlight and hold a designer bag.

Prometheus rolls into theaters on June 8th and stars Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green, and Guy Pearce.

Two new clips from Underworld: Endless War

One of the things that bothers me most about Underworld: Awakening, is that to the best of my knowledge we won't be learning the fate of Michael Corvin(Scott Speedman), the vampire/lycan hybrid and lover to Selene(Kate Beckinsale). The story takes place some fifteen years after Underworld: Evolution(Rise of the Lycans was a prequel), with Selene waking up into a world where the vampire/lycan war has become public, and humans are now on the verge of wiping them both out.

Included in the newly released Underworld Trilogy boxed set is the three part anime, Underworld: Endless War. In it, we see Selene back in the 1800s tracking down a trio of lycan brothers at the request of her vampire superiors. Her hunt for them last's until the present day, and in the final chapter of the story we see what Michael has been up to.  A pair of new clips have been released for the anime, which you can get as part of the Underworld Trilogy right here....[Shocktilyoudrop]

John Woo preps his wartime romance, 'Love and Let Love'

I just had a conversation about John Woo the other day, about why his transition from Hong Kong cinema to making American action flicks turned out so badly. It's not that his kinetic, gun blazing style didn't have a place, but that he generally made some piss poor decisions in the films he undertook. I mean, movies like Broken Arrow and Face/Off sucked, but they have their share of fans. Unfortunately from there he had the misfortune of directing Robert Towne's crappy Mission: Impossible sequel. His war film, Windtalkers, was a wild misfire. And Paycheck, an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick story, was so flat and dull I couldn't keep my eyes open, so I just walked out.

Woo made the right career move and stepped fully back into Asian cinema, with his sprawling historical epic, Red Cliff, possibly his finest work to date. Well now he's back again, with a film he's been trying to get rolling for a couple of years now. Once titled 1949, the romance film now goes by Love and Let Love, and will kick off production next month.

Starring Song Kye-Ho(The Grandmasters) as a wealthy and driven woman in Shanghai, the story takes place in the aftermath of WWII and through the Chinese Civil War. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon vets Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen co-star.

We might not see the film here for awhile, but we get it and it's successful. I'd like to see Woo have a place in Hollywood again to fill the action flick void guys like Simon West and Neveldine/Taylor just can't seem to fill. [Korea Herald via ThePlaylist]

New poster for the Amanda Seyfried thriller, 'Gone'

And the struggle to turn Amanda Seyfried into a star continues. Last month we saw the first trailer for Gone, another throwaway thriller she's starring in(like Chloe) that looks like it'd be better served on the Lifetime Channel. She plays Jill Parrish, who returns home one night to discover that her sister, Molly, has vanished. Jill, who survived a kidnapping attempt once in her life, believes that the same man is back and now holds her sister hostage. Unfortunately, nobody believes her, and Jill must do whatever it takes to find Molly and expose her abductor.

Directed by Brazilian filmmaker, Heitor Dhalia, the film stars Wes Bentley, Jennifer Carpenter, Sebastian Stan, Michael Pare, and Joel David Moore.  Summit Entertainment, still keen on Seyfried after her surprise hit, Letters to Juliet, have unveiled a new poster ahead of the film's February 24th release.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek sequel will shoot in 2D; IMAX a possibility

Sick of the constant rumors of who the villain will be in JJ Abrams' Star Trek sequel? Yeah, me too. The latest possibilities are a laundry list of old school 'Trek' bad guys, from the psychokinetic Helmsman Mitchell to the alien Talosians.  Personally, I'll take any of them over seeing Khan again, but that's just me.  One aspect of the film that we thought was settled last month apparently wasn't, and it revolves around Abrams' use of 3D.

We already knew that Paramount's plan was for the film to be released in 3D on May 17th 2013, but according to a recent statement given by Abrams, he revealed that it will actually be shot in 2D, then converted in post-production. Yuck....

The Adventures of Tintin, directed by Steven Spielberg

There's a lot of promise that comes with a pairing of legendary director Steven Spielberg and the not too shabby Peter Jackson. What it promises, at a bare minimum, is an incomparable technical and special effects wizardry. The Adventures of Tintin has a lot of things working against it, from it's obscure hero to it's reliance on two hit-or-miss techniques in 3D and performance capture animation. But what it has going for it is Spielberg and Jackson's creative genius, vision, and desire to make Tintin the most fun, swashbuckling adventure since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.