Hollywood and Celebs

Mariah Carey Says People Think She’s A Ditzy Moron

2008-03-19T00:23:00.000-07:00

UsMagazine has some new quotes from Mariah Carey and they are pretty hilarious! One thing is for sure, she’s not a shy girl!

On people’s perception of what she’s like:

“It’s a dichotomy, I understand. I understand that people think I’m a ditzy moron.”

On how a boyfriend couldn’t compete with her fans:

I’ve always had really low self-esteem, and I still do. What’s weird about that is being onstage, and the love that you get, and the adoration that you feel from your real fans. It’s hard for a partner to compete – just imagine.”

On her image:

She considers herself a “freaking prude,” and sees herself as “eternally 12.”

Three assistants?!? Can you imagine???
On weight loss:

“I don’t know why everyone thinks I lost 30 pounds,” she says. “This trainer has actually helped me reshape my arms. That’s where I gained most of my weight: upper body. That’s just one thing you have to lose weight for.”

On her breakdown in 2001:

“It’s not that difficult to become exhausted. I have three personal assistants just to keep up with my schedule!”

Britney Spears has been ordered to pay Kevin Federline’s legal bills in their ongoing child custody case

2008-03-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

Spears is ordered to pay up -- Britney Spears has been ordered to pay $375,000 of Kevin Federline’s legal bills in their ongoing child custody case. The payment to Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, is for four months work on the couple's ongoing custody battle, but less than Spears' current payments of $500,000. The singer's lawyer, Stacy Phillips, argued in court last week that Kaplan had been over-charging Spears and requested contributions from Federline. According to Kaplan, his fees are 'far under market for the package' saying that 'this is not a simple custody case.' And Los Angeles Court Commissioner Scott Gordon called it “reasonable” to make Spears pay so much because “the actions of [Spears] caused the great majority of litigation.”

Eye of the Beast

2008-03-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

Eye of the Beast
Release Date: April 1, 2008 (DVD)
Studio: Genius Products
Plot Summary: In a small fishing village, panic and fear are spreading as the legend of a giant killer squid grows. When government scientist Dan Leland is sent to investigate the murky waters, he soon uncovers a sea monster beyond anything he could have ever imagined - the most ravenous beast of them all complete with massive tentacles, angry red eyes...and a taste for human flesh!

Shutter Trailer

2008-03-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

Upcoming horror movie Shutter(opening March 21st). Directed by Masayuki Ochiai, and based on the '04 Thai spookfest, the film concerns a newly married couple who discover disturbing, ghostly images in photographs they develop after a tragic accident. Fearing the manifestations may be connected, they investigate and learn that some mysteries are better left unsolved.

Watchman First Look

2008-03-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Watchman director Zack Snyder has revealed on the official website a first look at five characters from the highly-anticipated movie, which is now exactly one year away from being released on March 6, 2009. Here are Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian, Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl, Matthew Goode as Ozymandias, Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach, and Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre!

Click on the image to download the poster.

The Full Iron Man Trailer!

2008-03-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios have brought online the full new trailer for director Jon Favreau's Iron Man, kicking off the summer on May 2. The anticipated comic book adaptation stars Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges. You can watch the trailer in Flash format using the player below

HD Quality

The Incredible Hulk Teaser Trailer

2008-03-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! Movies has now posted better-quality High Resolution versions (up to 1080p) of the new teaser trailer for The Incredible Hulk. You can download them here!

Starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson and Ty Burrell, the movie hits theaters on June 13.

You can watch the trailer below.

The New Wanted First Look

2008-03-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

Universal Pictures has debuted the new Wanted trailer online which you can watch below! Opening June 27, the graphic novel adaptation, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common and Angelina Jolie. The trailer is available in High Definition QuickTime here. New photos have also been added to the gallery!

Eccusive "Speed Racer"

2008-03-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Continuing our coverage of the 2008 ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas, ComingSoon.net attended the Warner Bros. presentation "The Big Picture", which gave a bit more of an expansive view of Larry and Andrew Wachowski's adaptation of the popular cartoon Speed Racer.

Warner Bros. President Alan Horn introduced the Wachowskis' long-time producer Joel Silver, who looked like a proud Papa as he brought out three of the film's primary cast: Emile Hirsch, who plays Speed Racer, Christina Ricci, who plays his girlfriend Trixie, and Matthew Fox, the mysterious Racer X, before showing an amazing four-minute clip that included some of the footage from the recent trailer but also gave a far clearer picture of the movie's plot than what's hinted in previous footage. Essentially, a rich mogul has gotten tired of Speed Racer winning every race and he offers a million dollar bounty to anyone who takes Speed Racer out in the next big race. With such danger all around him, Speed's Mach 5 is upgraded to the Mach 6 with lots of new devices added to help counter the assassins' weapons and the extended footage included a lot more flying and spinning cars as well as some of the weapons that Speed Racer will have to face on the track. The extra footage included some more expositional dialogue between Racer X and Speed Racer that hints at their relationship. One of the reasons the film might look so strange at first is that it's very colorful, but also, the Wachowskis wanted to make a movie where everything was in focus rather than the eye having to determine where to focus its attention. It's similar to the way Robert Rodriguez brought Frank Miller's graphic novel Sin City to life, and it's also the closest that a live action movie can come to recreating the feel of a cartoon.

Before the presentation, ComingSoon.net had a chance to speak exclusively to Silver, Hirsch, Ricci and Fox on the red carpet, where Silver told us about the origins of the project, which is the first movie (officially) directed by the Wachowskis since The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. "The brothers wanted to make a film for their whole family, their nieces and nephews, for all their friends with families, who couldn't go see the 'Matrix' films and they did it," Silver said enthusiastically. "They made a really big fun family movie that is colorful and exciting and looks like nothing you've ever seen before in your life." Despite that lofty claim, Silver was sure that people will figure out that it's a Wachowski movie even if it doesn't look like their previous films.

The extra footage shows more of Christina Ricci, who's pretty smokin' hot as Trixie, and she told us how she approached the character. "I'm not a huge cartoon fan. I did watch a few and I appreciate how the brothers were bringing a little bit of the kitsch element into the movie, but basically I was just doing what the brothers wanted me to do, 'cause it's their film, their interpretation."

Our main question for Emile Hirsch was how the experience making Speed Racer compared to making a movie like Sean Penn's Into the Wild, which was mostly shot on location in the Alaska wilderness. "The green screen is like a whole other animal," he told us. "It's so much different from climbing mountains in Alaska on 'Into the Wild.' It's like being in a sci-fi rig, nerds everywhere. We were like on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, and that was the set. I loved that. People don't realize that making a movie on green screen is a lot like doing theater, because it's all make-believe and there's kind of just a stage. It's not even like doing theater with production and art in the backdrop. It's like rehearsing on a blank stage, but I mean, some of the greatest acting ever done has been done on that, so people saying 'Oh, I can't act on green screen', well, they must not do that much theater," and a after pausing to think about what he just said, "which I don't. Like I make this point and I prove I'm an idiot at the end of it… but are you going to get mad at Mario Andretti because he doesn't do NASCAR?"

"I haven't seen too much of it," Fox admitted when asked what he thought of the film's look. "I'm really excited to see the four minutes of footage today. I've seen rougher versions of it when I was doing some ADR on the film, and while we were shooting, Larry and Andy showed me like 20 minutes of the film, but again, this movie is all the way up until the days right before it opens. They're going to be working on painting out the 2200 shots in the film. I just can't wait."

Silver wasn't too worried about the amount of work that needed to be done on the film before its release date in less than two months. "I wish I was six weeks from now talking about the finished movie, but I'm hopeful we'll get there."

Even though Speed Racer's action scenes include many scenes of cool cars zooming around the race track, that doesn't mean that Fox or Hirsch had to do any driving. "They built a gimbel and they would swap out the cockpits of the car," Fox explained. "I would always be sitting in the actual cockpit, and then it would be a hydraulically-manipulated gimbel and they could throw you around to replicate the actual sequence that you're doing within the film. Really, it was amazing as an actor because really what you ended up doing was just reacting to the intensity of what the car was doing, and that made it very easy."

That's one of the reasons why Speed Racer's helmet came in handy, as Hirsch told us. "It was good because the gimbel was kind of hectic, the hydraulic rig, so there was times where I was wondering, 'Man, I'm glad I have a helmet because if this thing breaks, I'm going to be like feeling it!'"

"There were days when I was bruised… my left shoulder would be black and blue and bruised from getting hit into the side of my car," Fox confirmed. "I think Christina got a little bit sick as well. It was pretty intense."

"I was the toughest on set," Ricci disagreed when asked her about Fox's previous statement. "That's really what (Matthew) was trying to allude to. The second unit director was doing everyone else's gimbel work with the remote but then Larry and Andy came in on Saturday to do mine and they really went for it. I'm not a complainer. I always try to be a tough guy, but I really got beat-up and I had to actually get out and vomit at one point and then get back in the thing, but like those kind of things to me are like war wounds."

Despite the rigors of the shoot, Hirsch and Ricci were both very enthusiastic about replaying the characters in future films if the movie does well enough to become a franchise.

"I think that as long as the Wachowskis keep their hand on it and keep the inspiration like the have it, I think there's a couple really awesome components to the story to keep going with," Hirsch admitted. "I'm looking forward to certain other races."

"I would love to," Ricci agreed. "I think all of us had such a great time making this movie that when we're leaving we were like, 'Larry, Andy, write the second one. We want to come back!' I loved playing her, she was so much fun and this cast was so much fun to work with, so yeah, I want to make another one."

Speed Racer opens in IMAX and conventional theaters across the nation on May 9.

No Plans For Batman 3 Yet

2008-03-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

With the second of the current Batman flicks rapidly approaching (The Dark Knight), speculation is already staring to run wild about Batman 3. Who will be in it, who will the villains be, will the Joker be back with another actor… yadda yadda yadda. There’s only one catch, neither Christopher Nolan or Christian Bale are currently locked in for a possible third film yet. The good folks over at RopeofSilicon give us this following excerpt from an interview with the duo:

EW: So do you think there will be a part 3 of Batman?

Bale: Um, look, let’s wait and see…

EW: Or, I guess it’d be part 7.

Bale: No, no, no, no, no. [Smiling] Part 3 is what I’d consider it, yeah, I don’t say part 7. Batman begins — that was the beginning there, with all due respect to the others. We are re-creating this. You know, obviously the decision is out of my hands. I would, knowing the Dark Knight story, I would like very much to complete a trilogy. And I think that knowing the story of The Dark Knight, it leaves you anticipating something that really can get very, very interesting for a third. Now, the question would be: Is Chris going to be doing it? Because to me I find it tricky to imagine working on it without it being a collaboration with Chris.

EW: Will there be another Batman movie?

Nolan: I have no clue

In today’s film market place you can’t blame a studio for not rushing ahead with future sequels until they see how the market is shaking out and how their current project will fair in theaters. So at this point any speculations or rumors you hear about the third Batman flick is just that… speculation and rumors. The project has not been green lit nor are any plans officially on the books.

Having said that, you’d have to be blind deaf and dumb to not know that WILL eventual be a third part to this series. One way or the other, WB will get a third film in the works, and you can bet your ass Christian Bale will be back as the Bat…. the only question is if Nolan will be back to direct. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Nolan WON’T be back to direct a thrid film… I’m just saying I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t. Directors get bored, and studios aren’t afraid to switch up directors in a franchise (it worked pretty well for Star Wars and Harry Potter so far)

Bryan Singer talks Superman Returns Sequel

2008-03-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Looks like Bryan Singer is setting his sights on the Big Blue Boyscout. In a recent interview he states pretty clearly that the sequel to Superman Returns is well underway.

SuperheroHype quotes Singer:

“I’m just getting back with writers after the strike. We’re just in the development phase. I’m starting to develop a sequel…with the intention of directing it,” he told the magazine.About the negative reaction to the first film’s focus on the drama instead of the action, Singer added, “The first one was a romantic film and a nostalgic film… And now that the characters are established, there’s really an opportunity to up the threat levels.”

Now before we all get on the barking list against Superman Returns, I wasn’t overly impressed with it. That being said I also didn’t hate it.

Singer is just one of those people I have to trust with Superman. He did fine by me with XMen and though he didn’t put out the best Superman movie, I can forgive him considering the work he has done in the past. He is also a big geek and I would hope that he learns from his mistakes.

So with Singer moving forward, Routh almost a sure thing to play Supes, and all of our hopes that a Superman sequel wont suck, Singer has just one thing to do to make it all right.

Do everything different.

1. Get rid of superkid. No really. Kill the kid. Make this the driving force that tempts Superman’s morals. What happens when you piss off the most powerful superhero ever? Will he kill out of rage? Vengence?

2. Get us a superpowered badguy I like Lex as much as anyone. He is an awesome villain - no doubt. But lets have Superman face someone that makes him flinch.

3. Action We need a LOT of action. Have superman stop a meteor shower from colliding with earth. Just kicking the shit out of every last rock, tearing his outfit up, slapping him around. Save the world dammit. And do that before the opening credits. Then do better for the rest of the movie.

4. Get over Lois I know its the archetype of the character, but for ONE MOVIE lets not have Superman be smitten to a flaw and distracted by it. Let him be distracted by his own conflict that drives his character. “You can’t save them all”. That is more of a cornerstone of the Superman persona than anything. It defines him and he has to live with it every day. All this power and STILL people suffer.

So Mr Singer, I hope you are reading this. (Don’t all movie writers read this site?? Why not??)

Boarding Gate Synopsis

2008-03-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

From director Olivier Assayas comes this erotic thriller starring Asia Argento as Sandra, a former prostitute, and Michael Madsen as Miles, her onetime pimp. Brought back together after a separation, Sandra and Miles are no longer who they once were, but their kinky sexual relationship is rekindled nonetheless. Meanwhile, Sandra has become entangled in a love triangle with a pair of drug-runners. Before long, sexual intrigue and a botched drug deal combine to complicate matters for all involved. Boarding Gate screened at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

Dooms Day Synopsis

2008-03-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Three decades after a major country is quarantined in hopes of containing a lethal and highly contagious virus nicknamed "Reaper," signs that the super-bug has resurfaced in a major city prompt desperate specialists to race back into the infected zone to find a cure in director Neal Marshall's (The Descent) miasmic speculative sci-fi thriller. Few could have foreseen the terror that the microorganism known as "Reaper" would unleash upon the unsuspecting population, and when terrified authorities quarantined the entire country in hopes of saving the human race, the streets immediately descended into chaos. Thirty years later, the inhabitants of planet Earth thought that they had seen the last of the merciless killer disease, but they couldn't have been more wrong. When "Reaper" reappears more powerful than ever in a major city, an elite group of professionals led by Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) are forced to travel back into the sealed-off country where the virus first broke out in order to create a cure and save humankind from certain doom. Now, as the rest of the world anxiously awaits word of their ultimate fate, Eden and her brave team are about to find out that there is indeed a hell, and they are about to journey directly into its black, envenomed heart. Also in the cast are Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell as well as a host of veterans from Marshall's past productions, including Sean Pertwee, MyAnna Buring, Craig Conway, and Nora-Jane Noone.

Shutter Movie Synopsis

2008-03-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Infection director Masayuki Ochiai takes the helm for this remake of the 2004 horror hit from Thailand concerning a photographer and his girlfriend who are involved in a tragic auto accident, and subsequently begin to notice ghostly figures in the backgrounds of their pictures. Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor star in this supernatural frightener. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide.

Trailer For 'Tropic Thunder!'

2008-03-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's here! Surely this must be one of the quickest follow-ups to a teaser in trailer history. You can watch an official, high quality version over on the film's official website if you prefer. I am trying to tell myself that this won't be as funny as the trailer -- that all the good stuff will be ruined -- but I can't make myself believe it. And it is all because of Robert Downey Jr. wearing a monk's robe and freaky Dune-blue contacts. Plus I want to know what the heck Ben Stiller is doing with two baby pandas.

Tropic Thunder opens on August 15th, 2008. And I still want an official patch.

James Mangold Sets His Sight on 'Cyclops'

2008-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Admit it, the first thing you thought when you read that was "WHAT? A Cyclops spin-off? Will it never end?"

But it's not that Cyclops -- it is the Alexis Nolent graphic novel. Variety reports that Warner Bros has optioned the rights to Nolent's novel, and James Mangold is set to direct. The story is set in the near future, where mercenary forces wear cameras in their helmets, broadcasting live to command centers and living rooms alike. One of the mercenaries is chosen to lead an elite squad -- but begins to discover he isn't fighting for freedom or justice, but commerce.

Mangold is attracted to the novel's political relevancy. "It is an electrifying package you find in the best sci-fi: great action sequences combined with themes that are eminently foreseeable." Warner Bros is putting the project on the fast track, and expects to have it in the hands of screenwriters by next week. I imagine the title will be changed somewhere during production.

This is the second Nolent novel to be optioned; The Killer is over at Paramount in the hands of David Fincher. They share Alexandra Milchan as producer. She must have a French connection, as Nolent lacks even a Wiki entry. I can't even find anywhere to link to the book -- not even in French. If anyone can track something down, please post it below.

EXCLUSIVE: 'My Blueberry Nights' Poster Premiere!

2008-03-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hollywood and Celebs has just received this lovely exclusive poster of the new film My Blueberry Nights, starring Norah Jones (in her feature debut), Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Jude Law and David Strathairn. The film, which is just exploding with beautiful colors (see above poster for a small taste), marks famed director Wong Kar Wai's English-language debut -- and it centers on a young woman (Jones) who embarks on a soul-searching trip across America, running into an assortment of offbeat characters along the way. Definitely one of my favorite posters of the year so far -- once you move away from the dazzling color scheme, you're then left with the gorgeous faces of Weisz, Portman and Jones. Mmm, I can stare at this one all day long.My Blueberry Nights will hit the theatres on April 4.

To download the poster click on the above image. Watch the trailer of the movie below.

Lindsay Lohan Goes Twelve-Steppin’

2008-02-27T21:56:00.000-08:00

Back from her trip to Milan for fashion week, Lindsay Lohan was out for her AA meeting in West Hollywood on Wednesday afternoon (February 27).

The Mean Girls actress attended the very important counseling appointment at the Key Club, also grabbing a bite to eat at LaScala in Beverly Hills.

Keeping herself on track by diligently participating in the twelve-step sessions, it’s a possibility that LiLo is finally trying to set a positive example for her younger sister, Ali.

After all, Ali just told Teen Vogue: “I grew up watching Lindsay. It made me want to do what she does. Just the whole vibe.”

“Being there, being on camera, or onstage, with everybody listening to you… it’s so cool when people look up to you. I’ve already been asked for my autograph and it’s just a really good feeling to have.”

Britney Spears date with her sons

2008-02-27T21:53:00.000-08:00

Britney Spears was reunited with her sons again on Feb 25.

The fall pop princess’ children Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, were driven to her Studio House by Kevin Federline’s bodyguard for a three-hour visit. It was the second visitation in three days; on Saturday, Spears saw her children for the first time since Jan. 3 after working out a structured visitation arrangement with Federline.

A court order preventing Spears from seeing her sons was put in place at the beginning of the year after she refused to return the children to Federline, reports People. After police were called to her Los Angeles home, Spears was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric treatment. She was released but was readmitted earlier this month and spent six days receiving treatment for mental health problems.

Brangelina moving to France

2008-02-27T21:49:00.000-08:00

Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt have reportedly settled on France as the place where they will have their next child in France to honour the actress’ late French-Canadian mother Marcheline Bertrand.

A source also revealed that despite rumours that Brangelina are expecting twins, the couple will only be welcoming one more child.

And, the source added that Jolie was especially thrilled that her baby would be a girl. “Angelina has been told she is expecting a girl. She’s thrilled,” The Sun quoted the source, as saying.

What is also highly likely, is that the Jolie-Pitts will be raising their expanding family in France itself. The couple are said to have bought a chateau in the south of France and plan to make it their family home.

“Angelina is proud of her French roots and wants her latest addition to be born and raised there,” the source said.

Watch Pineapple Express Trailer

2008-02-27T21:47:00.001-08:00

The marriage of pop singer Pink and motocross racer Carey Hart is 'over'

2008-02-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

The marriage of pop singer Pink and her husband motocross racer and former The Surreal Life star Carey Hart, , has ended, the singer's publicist, Michele Schweitzer, tells PEOPLE. Their marriage was two years old.

"Pink and Carey Hart have separated. This decision was made by best friends with a huge amount of love and respect for one another," says Schweitzer, adding, "While the marriage is over, their friendship has never been stronger."

The duo met at the 2001 X Games and broke up for a time in 2003, but the split was well behind them in 2005, when the singer popped the question to her beau as he sped around the track during a competition in Mammoth Lakes, California.

They married in January 2006 at a non-denominational ceremony in Costa Rica. Among the 100 guests was Lisa Marie Presley.

In August 2007, amid reports that the marriage was on the rocks, Hart dismissed the stories as "just a bunch of trash talk."

Paris Hilton's fresh sex tape is online

2008-02-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

After serving a jail sentence, Paris Hilton had sworn to lead a clean life but those plans seem to have gone awry. A news sex tape featuring her completely naked has surfaced online.

A website called parisexposed.com released the footage online, although Hilton obtained a temporary injunction against them, thesun.co.uk reports.

In the tape she swims around in a huge bath and soaks herself with a showerhead playfully. Rumours abound that the tape was found earlier this year when she forgot to pay the rent on her storage vault.

The footage has also surfaced on youtube.com with other versions available on the other US websites.

Depp gifts vineyard to French girlfriend

2008-02-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

"Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp has gifted his long time French girlfriend Vanessa Paradis a vineyard to celebrate the release of her new album and for working hard for months.

The 44-year-old actor bought the vineyard near the villa in Plan de la Tour, France, where he lives with his family, contactmusic.com reported.

Depp also owns a 45-acre island in the Bahamas where he holidays quite often. He has lived in France for almost 10 years but denies any plans to marry again.

Depp was earlier married to Lori Anne Allison whom he divorced in 1985.

Foxx says he can never be director

2008-02-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

Academy Award winning actor Jamie Foxx believes he will never be a director because he suffers from attention deficit disorder.

The 29-year-old American actor revealed he would love to direct but his medical condition would be an impediment, thesun.co.uk reported.

"I really don't know if I have the patience that a director needs or the commitment. I'm the sort of guy who always has to be moving on," he said.

"I have attention deficiency disorder in high definition," Foxx quickly added.

Foxx most recently co-starred with Colin Farrell in "Miami Vice".

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2008) Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:37:00.000-08:00

Release Date: November 21st, 2008
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: David Yates
Screenwriter: Steven Kloves
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, David Bradley, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Cave, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Frank Dillane, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Helen McCrory, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Natalia Tena, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Julie Walters, David Thewlis, Bonnie Wright
Rating: None
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Plot Summary:

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet...

As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate - and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort - and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

Craig Armstrong to Score The Incredible Hulk

2008-02-19T01:32:00.000-08:00

Latest news on Hulk series is that prolific Scottish composer Craig Armstrong has been hired to pen the original score for Marvel's new Hulk movie, The Incredible Hulk. The film, which is directed by French helmer Louis Leterrier (best known for his Transporter action flicks), will be released on June 13 by Universal. Edward Norton is doing the part as Bruce Banner and the supporting cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Liv Tyler, William Hurt and Tim Roth. Zak Penn, who wrote X-Men: The Last Stand and Last Action Hero, is responsible for the screenplay. Craig Armstrong, who is represented in the US by First Artists Management, recently scored Elizabeth: The Golden Age for Working Title. The Incredible Hulk is his first action film since 2001's Kiss of the Dragon.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:28:00.000-08:00

Release Date: June 13, 2008
Studio: Universal Pictures, Marvel Studios
Director: Louis Leterrier
Screenwriter: Edward Norton, Zak Penn
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Christina Cabot, Lou Ferrigno, Martin Starr, Ty Burrell
Rating: None
Genre: Action, Thriller
Plot Summary:

"The Incredible Hulk" kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time. In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk.

Living in the shadows--cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler)--Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.

As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk's creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination (Tim Roth), whose destructive strength exceeds even The Hulk's own. And on June 13, 2008, one scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside--The Incredible Hulk.

India Jones and the Kningdom of Crystal Skull (2008) Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:19:00.000-08:00

Release Date: May 22nd, 2008
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: David Koepp
Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Shia LaBeouf
Rating: None
Genre: Action, Adventure
Plot Summary:

Steven Spielberg says that the film will feature all of Jones' former babes in various cameo roles including Karen Allen and other Indy girls who had smaller roles. It is still up in the air whether or not Kate Capshaw, Spielberg's wife, will make an appearance. The film is set in the early '50s.

Iron Man (2008) Movie Previews

2008-02-19T01:18:00.001-08:00

Release Date: May 2nd, 2008
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Marvel Studios
Director: Jon Favreau
Screenwriter: Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, Leslie Bibb, Bill Smitrovich, Nazanin Boniadi
Rating: None
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy
Plot Summary:

Based on the long-running Marvel comic book series, "Iron Man" tells the story of Tony Stark, the enigmatic heir to the Stark Enterprises fortune. A driven inventor and executive who seems to have it all, Tony is haunted by his dark side. Though he commands his empire by day, by night he secretly becomes "Iron Man," the living embodiment of decades of defense spending and innovation. Strapping on billions of dollars worth of state-of-the-art armor and weaponry each night to fight crime, terrorism and corporate espionage, Tony begins to crack under the strain of his fractured lifestyle and must ultimately confront the one enemy he can never beat -- himself.

Prom Night (2008) Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:14:00.001-08:00

Release Date: April 11th, 2008
Studio: Newmarket Films
Director: Nelson McCormick
Screenwriter: J.S. Cardone
Starring: Brittany Snow, Dana Davis, Jessica Troup, Scott Porter, Collins Pennie, Kelly Blatz, Idris Elba, Jonathan Schaech, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kellan Lutz, Craig Susser
Rating: PG-13 for violence and terror, some sexual material, underage drinking, and language
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Plot Summary:

Donna's senior prom is supposed to be the best night of her life, one of magic, beauty, and love. Surrounded by her best friends, she should be safe from the horrors of her past. But when the night turns from magic to murder there is only one man who could be responsible... the man she thought was gone forever. Now, Donna and her friends must find a way to escape the sadistic rampage of an obsessed killer, and survive their Prom Night.

10,000 B.C. Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:03:00.000-08:00

Release Date: March 7th, 2008
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriter: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Starring: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Omar Sharif, Reece Ritchie, Suri van Sornsen
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence
Plot Summary:

From director Roland Emmerich comes a sweeping odyssey into a mythical age of prophesies and gods, when spirits rule the land and mighty mammoths shake the From director Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow") comes a sweeping odyssey into a mythical age of prophesies and gods, when spirits rule the land and mighty mammoths shake the earth.

In a remote mountain tribe, the young hunter D'Leh (Steven Strait) has found his heart's passion - the beautiful Evolet (Camilla Belle). But when a band of mysterious warlords raid his village and kidnap Evolet, D'Leh leads a small group of hunters to pursue the warlords to the end of the world to save her. As they venture into unknown lands for the first time, the group discovers there are civilizations beyond their own and that mankind's reach is far greater than they ever knew. At each encounter the group is joined by other tribes who have been attacked by the slave raiders, turning D'Leh's once-small band into an army.

Driven by destiny, the unlikely warriors must battle prehistoric predators while braving the harshest elements. At their heroic journey's end, they uncover a lost civilization and learn their ultimate fate lies in an empire beyond imagination, where great pyramids reach into the skies.

Here they will take their stand against a tyrannical god who has brutally enslaved their own. And it is here that D'Leh finally comes to understand that he has been called to save not only Evolet but all of civilization.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Centropolis Production of a Roland Emmerich film: "10,000 BC," starring Steven Strait, Camilla Belle and Cliff Curtis.
Directed by Roland Emmerich, from a screenplay written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser, the film is produced by Michael Wimer, Roland Emmerich and Mark Gordon. Harald Kloser, Sarah Bradshaw, Tom Karnowski, Thomas Tull and William Fay are the executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Ueli Steiger, production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos, editor Alexander Berner, costume designers Odile Dicks-Mireaux and Renee April, and composers Harald Kloser and Thomas Wander.

Dragon Ball Movie Preview

2008-02-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

Release Date: August 15, 2008
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: James Wong
Screenwriter: James Wong
Starring: Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Emmy Rossum, Eriko Tamura, Joon Park, Chow Yun-Fat, Texas Battle, Randall Duk Kim
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Plot Summary:

"Dragonball" is adapted from the manga created by Akira Toriyama; the work was also turned into a Japanese anime series that played all over the world. It tells the story of an alien sent to destroy Earth, who has a change of heart and decides to join the humans in their fight against various aliens and bad guys.

Black Water (2008) Movie Preview

2008-02-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

Release Date: February 19th, 2008
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: David Nerlich, Andrew Traucki
Screenwriter: David Nerlich, Andrew Traucki
Starring: Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, Andy Rodoreda, Ben Oxenbould, Fiona Press
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rating: R for terror/violence and language.
Plot Summary:

Based on a true story, Black Water is a thriller thats sounds a now familiar warning that Australia can be dangerous place for a holiday. Its DNA goes back to the taut, tight thrills of Spielberg s Duel, then traces a line through the classics of Jaws and Alien, past the guerrilla film making of Robert Rodriguez and mutates into the same gene pool as quasi-real horrorsurvival such as the Blair Witch Project and Open Water. Black Water is based in realism. It stalks the line between horror and psychological thriller, a tale or true survival, that begs the question what would you do? How would you get out alive?

The X Files 2 Movie Preview

2008-02-19T00:49:00.001-08:00

Release Date: July 25, 2008
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Chris Carter
Screenwriter: Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Xzibit, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Callum Keith Rennie, Adam Godley
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Plot Summary:

Twentieth Century Fox has announced a July 25, 2008 release for a new motion picture based on the phenomenally-popular, award-winning series THE X-FILES. Long-anticipated but only recently confirmed, the film reunites series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson under the direction of series creator Chris Carter, who co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Spotnitz.

In grand "X-Files" manner, the as yet untitled film's storyline is being kept under wraps, known only to top studio brass and the film's principals. This much can be revealed: The supernatural thriller is a stand-alone story in the tradition of some of the show's most acclaimed and beloved episodes, and takes the always-complicated relationship between Fox Mulder (Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Anderson) in unexpected directions. Mulder continues his unshakable quest for the truth, and Scully, the passionate, ferociously intelligent physician, remains inextricably tied to Mulder's pursuits.

Also starring are Amanda Peet and Xzibit.

Fox production VP Steve Asbell shepherded the project for the studio.

Created and executive produced by Chris Carter, "The X-Files," which premiered on FOX on September 10, 1993, chronicled the lives and adventures of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, two disparate FBI agents assigned to investigate unsolved cases within the Bureau - cases that often involved the paranormal, the supernatural, and the inexplicable.

"The X-Files" won numerous awards and honors, including a George Foster Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, three Golden Globes for Best Dramatic Series, a Golden Satellite Award for Best Drama Series, Science Fiction and Fantasy Saturn Awards for Outstanding Television Series, and a Parents' Choice Honor for Best Series. In 1997, Gillian Anderson won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

"The X-Files" was as much of a phenomenon abroad as it was in the United States. The show's conspiratorial tone and blend of paranoia, horror and suspense made it the most popular television series in Canada, the highest-rated series on Britain's BBC2, and one of the biggest sensations ever in Japanese television.

The show's nine-season run came to an end in 2002. In 1998, Twentieth Century Fox released the first feature film based on the series. The film - produced and written by Carter and co-written by Spotnitz - became a worldwide success, taking in $187 million in theatrical box office.

Taylor Kitsch is Gambit in Wolverine!

2008-02-19T00:38:00.000-08:00

The latest update in X-Men Origins: Wolverine is that "Friday Night Lights" star Taylor Kitsch will play Gambit (AKA Remy LeBeau) in director Gavin Hood's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Kitsch has signed a three-picture deal.

He'll be joining Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth), Danny Huston (William Stryker) and Lynn Collins (Silver Fox) in the 20th Century Fox release, opening May 1, 2009.

Leading up to the events of X-Men, "Wolverine" tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

First look at Hugh Jackman as Logan in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2008-02-19T00:31:00.000-08:00

USA Today has published this first look at Hugh Jackman as Logan in X-Men Origins: Wolverine! And some quotes...

The film will trace Wolverine's past as he discovers the world of mutants and, ultimately, the ominous Weapon X program, which turns people into living weapons.

Jackman is tight-lipped on plot details, though he says the film will hardly be a one-mutant story.

Wolverine's nemesis Sabretooth "is going to play a big part in it. And there will be a good bit of cameos" of new and familiar mutants, he says. "But you can't give too much away, because fans are pretty hard-core. Their expectations go up a level every time you come out with a new film."

Directed by Gavin Hood and co-starring Liev Schreiber, X-Men Origins: Wolverine hits theaters on May 1, 2009.

Fool's Gold

2008-02-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland
Direction: Andy Tennant.
Rating: 3/10

By Brian Lowry, Variety.com

The lure of Matthew McConaughey shirtless for extended stretches doubtless has some marketing value, but after that, "Fool's Gold" offers small compensation -- a listless romantic comedy that, almost out of desperation, turns a little more violent than necessary near the end. Treasure hunting has certainly worked for the "National Treasure" franchise, and an earlier McConaughey-Kate Hudson pairing enjoyed some success. Still, after however many doubloons can be hauled up from the utterly review-proof, it's hard to envision Warner Bros. separating too many fools from their money.

Reuniting the stars of "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" in a more adventurous setting surely sounded promising, but in the hands of "Hitch" director Andy Tennant and his screenwriting collaborators Daniel Zelman and John Claflin, they find themselves up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

At times the pic feels like a comedic version of "The Deep," only without the comedy. McConaughey plays treasure seeker Finn, obsessed with a Spanish galleon loaded with treasure lost off the Florida coast (as played here by Australia) in 1715. His frenzied pursuit of said riches has cost him his wife, Tess (Hudson), who is divorcing Finn for having "no clue how to behave like a responsible adult."

It's just then, naturally, that Finn actually finds a clue pointing toward the treasure, which he's chasing with the patronage of a wealthy rapper-thug unfortunately named Bigg Bunny (comic Kevin Hart, put to very poor use).

Tess, meanwhile, has taken a job aboard a luxury yacht, working for the wealthy Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland, channeling Ronald Colman). After some finagling by Finn, Nigel agrees to finance an expedition for the loot mostly as a way to entertain his visiting daughter Gemma (Alexis Dziena, of ABC's "Invasion"), a pampered heiress and complete airhead.

Aside from the central couple's painfully flat banter and bickering, the movie's only real recurring gag is that Finn keeps getting whacked in the head with blunt instruments -- yielding wounds, not to be a stickler about continuity, that magically heal as if he were Wolverine of the "X-Men."

Ray Winstone also pops up as a rival treasure hunter and Finn's former mentor, but this subplot is so underdeveloped as to foster suspicions that sequences were left on the cutting-room floor -- hard as that is to believe, given the sluggish pace.

When the action does pick up near the climax, it's too late to redeem what's already transpired and a bit grittier than it should be tonally, as if we've detoured into a different movie. Nor is the missing-treasure riddle intriguing enough to sustain interest, though beyond the fauna displayed, the well-shot tropical scenery might be a balm to some, coming as it does in the dead of winter.

The point, clearly, is for Finn to woo Tess back along their shared journey, but despite the script's contrivances, there's not much chemistry between them. Indeed, the only real energy comes from Dziena's bubbly dim-bulb. Granted, that's a rather tired image, but as Finn demonstrates during one skirmish with Bunny's henchmen, a drowning man -- or even just one dispatched on a "Fool's" errand -- can't be too choosy when grasping for lifelines.

Diary of the Dead

2008-02-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

Cast: Michele Morgan, Shawn Roberts, Joshua Close
Direction: George A. Romero.
Rating: 7/10

By Eddie Cockrell, Variety.com

Scaling back the broad sweep of the previous horror opus "Land of the Dead" and largely jettisoning the increasingly comedic possibilities of the concept in favor of pointed, impassioned social criticism and close-in genre thrills, gore's godfather audaciously and successfully reboots his incalculably influential zombie franchise as a lean, mean teen-survival machine in "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead." This gripping, intimate genre triumph represents a not-insurmountable marketing challenge in the wake of the larger canvas of "Land," with emphasis on college-age protagonists and their tech wizardry sure to inject the fan base with copious new blood.

The fifth franchise entry might best be viewed as a provocative inverse of "The Blair Witch Project," with which it shares a general point-of-view structure and some themes. At its heart a stinging indictment of child-rearing practices that produced sullen offspring, incapable of thinking for themselves or working in groups during a crisis situation, "Witch" has given way, less than a decade later, to a bevy of confident, savvy coeds in "Diary."

These go-getters are highly motivated for success via self-expression, and possess the video camera and Internet tech chops to attract attention to themselves by getting their personal projects made and circulated. In short, they create content to validate their own existence.

Though set in the present day, "Diary" rewinds to the mysterious zombie outbreak that set the franchise in motion. Suspicious of lies being fed through the mainstream media as society disintegrates, a surviving member of a student film crew has assembled a documentary, "The Death of Death," from the crew's own footage and Internet grabs, as testament to what really went down. (The survivor apologetically warns that some music cues and thrills have been added for entertainment value.)

"The Death of Death" begins as compulsive filmmaker Jason Creed (Josh Close) tries to finish a student mummy film in the Pennsylvania woods. Hearing of the zombie crisis on the radio, lead actor Ridley (Philip Riccio) takes off in his expensive sports car for the family compound across the state, leaving cast and crew to fend for themselves in a rickety RV.

In addition to Jason, behind the camera and thus seldom seen for much of the movie, the core group for the bulk of the action includes his disgruntled girlfriend Debra (Michelle Morgan); disbelieving film school rival Tony (Shawn Roberts); mummy scream queen and real-life Texas firecracker Tracy (Amy Lalonde); tech dweeb Eliot (Joe Dinicol); and cynically alcoholic Brit prof Maxwell (Scott Wentworth).

During their mad dash to Debra's house in Scranton, they encounter a nearly deserted rural hospital, an Amish farmer whose deafness doesn't impede his resourcefulness, a gaggle of renegade National Guardsmen and, eventually, Ridley's deceptively fortresslike mansion.

If the actual body count is relatively low, Romero's inspiration level is sky-high; at 68, he's got his finger squarely on the pulse of the younger generation's facile relationship with media and technology. He's also brought his always healthy skepticism of broadcasting and government to the fore; it's giving nothing away to point to the pic's sad, brutal coda as one of the most powerful antiwar statements since America invaded Iraq.

The pic also represents a watershed in Romero's direction of actors. As Debra, Morgan is easily the most swaggeringly self-confident heroine of any "Dead" adventure, while Lalonde does a terrific job balancing the humor inherent in her story arc with genuine fear.

Production values are precisely what they need to be. Other than some perfectly miked characters deep in the frame, the illusion of the pic being stitched together from video camera footage, Internet video and surveillance cameras is entirely logical. The decision to massage good, old-fashioned latex with CGI splatter pays off in imaginative and startling gags, produced with Greg Nicotero, Gaslight Effects and Spin. Ontario locations stand in nicely once again for rural Pennsylvania.

How influential is Romero's work? The closing credit crawl gives special thanks to Romero pals, disciples and supporters Wes Craven, Guillermo del Toro, Simon Pegg, Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino and Tom Savini. They should be proud.

Step Up 2

2008-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

Cast: Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Telisha Shaw
Direction: Doug Liman.
Rating: 8/10

By Peter Debruge, Variety.com

With more dancing and less Channing Tatum than the original, "Step Up 2 the Streets" offers the illusion of edgier fare than "High School Musical," but uses much the same formula to separate youngsters from their allowance. In this contempo fairy tale, an orphan girl and her bashful love interest learn self-expression through street dancing. Rather than mixing classical and modern styles the way "Step Up" did, this hip-hop-powered sequel is all about new moves, which should keep the kids coming back after the pic's initial Valentine's Day crush.

Tomboy Andie (Briana Evigan) belongs to an elite inner-city dance crew called the 410 whose latest prank -- invading a subway car posing as muggers and staging an inmpromptu dance show for bewildered passengers -- have gotten its members labeled delinquents by the Baltimore media.

Watching reports of the 410's "public disturbances" on TV that night, Andie's guardian (Sonja Sohn, the pic's only connection to HBO's gritty, Baltimore-based "The Wire") threatens to send the unruly orphan to Texas. As in the first film, the wayward teen lands herself at the Maryland School of the Arts, where her street-dancing style clashes with the institution's conservative methods.

By this point, it's clear the strait-laced dance academy is the sequel's only tie to the original, but fans needn't take down their Tatum pinups just yet. The hunky "Step Up" star returns long enough to make audiences swoon anew, challenging Andie to a dance-off. If she wins, the movie's over and everybody can go home. But if he wins, she agrees to take MSA seriously and attend classes without question.

And so Tatum reminds us why the first movie was such a runaway sensation, using trampolines to outdance the newbie. But even this display gives only the faintest indication of the incredible dancing in store. "Step Up 2" features nearly as much dancing as it does dialogue, and that's a good thing, considering the after-school special quality of its obligatory emotional scenes.

Flirtation proves most effective on the dance floor anyway, best exemplified by an otherwise throwaway scene choreographed by Jamal Sims (one of the original's few alums). The most popular kid in school, Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), has been trying to win Andie over the entire movie, and at a friend's backyard barbecue, these two work out their connections through dance.

It's when things slow down long enough for the characters to start talking that "Step Up 2" gets itself in trouble. The pic culminates not onstage but at an underground dance competition called "the Streets," where rival crews battle it out for respect. After getting dropped from the 410, Andie allows Chase to convince her they can put their own group together, plucking misfit students from MSA and assembling the fiercest crew Baltimore has ever seen.

In order to make the ultimate showdown appropriately dramatic, the writers turn the 410 into hoodlums who play dirty. effectively cancels the spirit of civil disobedience and independent expression the pic espoused during its opening scene, trading instead on the very stereotypes it set out to counter.

Director John M. Chu, a recent USC graduate making his feature debut, proves more than capable of handling the high-energy dance sequences, applying a few slick moves of his own behind the camera. Evigan and Hoffman, both dancers-turned-actors, come across as more natural than their more mannered co-stars, and though the pic is all about grrl-power, it's Hoffman who seems poised to break out.

Additional choreographers worked to define the routines, with Nadine "Hi Hat" Ruffin handling the 410 and Dave Scott tackling the MSA group. The soundtrack (which features infectious new tracks from Flo Rida, T-Pain, Missy Elliot, Enrique Iglesias and more) looks likely to extend the movie's dance craze to the clubs. A MySpace-sponsored contest has been encouraging the group-participation spirit for months, with winners showing their best moves in the film.

Definitely, Maybe

2008-02-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Derek Luke, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Kline
Direction: Adam Brooks.
Rating: 8/10

By Dennis Harvey, Variety.com

A pleasingly nonformulaic romantic seriocomedy, "Definitely, Maybe" has charm and some depth, even if it's ultimately more a three-base hit than a home run. The tale of a divorcing father relating his complicated romantic history to an inquisitive daughter will click with viewers for its refreshing indifference to current romantic-comedy fashions, being neither Judd Apatow-esque raunchy nor indie-edgy. With enough word-of-mouth momentum, the potential sleeper could be the breakout film for Ryan Reynolds, who seems on the verge of major stardom. That's a maybe, but writer-helmer Adam Brooks' ingratiating pic will definitely have an extended run in ancillary.

Reynolds plays Will Hayes, an advertising exec on the verge of finalizing his divorce with the mother of Maya (Abigail Breslin), of whom they have joint custody. When Will picks Maya up from school, he's surprised that she's just gotten her first, rather premature sex-ed lesson, and is full of embarrassing questions as a result. In particular, she insists dad tell her exactly how many women he went out with before mom, and how they came to be married. He reluctantly agrees, but tells this bedtime story with the names changed, so she'll have to guess which character mom turns out to be.

The subsequent flashback occupies nearly all of the run time, occasionally broken by Maya's inquiries and comments -- which, being of that precious movie-kid nature, will for some represent the weakest element here.

Will's romantic travails commence in Madison, Wis., where he's leaving perfect college sweetheart Emily (Elizabeth Banks) to spend two months in New York working on the 1992 Clinton campaign. She's not happy about it, but he has grand ambitions -- like becoming president one day himself -- and is confident they can weather the separation. His first experiences in the big city are disillusioning, but eventually his talents are appreciated, his responsibilities elevated -- and there are other sources of excitement, too, most notably friendships with two very attractive women.

There's April (Isla Fisher), a defiantly apolitical, somewhat rudderless free spirit who works at campaign HQ for cash rather than the cause. Also a playful provocateur, albeit far more professionally driven, is aspiring journalist Summer (Rachel Weisz), a onetime schoolmate of Emily's.

Will's amorous fortunes weave unpredictably around these three women, as his career also goes through ups and downs. Brooks' screenplay uses the political landscape of the (first?) Clinton era as a backdrop, getting some witty mileage out of its own ups and downs. But the primary focus is always on the protagonist's love life, which seems eternally plagued by instances of right girl/wrong moment, awkward conflicts of interest and so forth. Little Maya is kept guessing who her mom will be to the end.

The pic might have done better to close on a tentative, hopeful note a la "Sideways," rather than going for the usual crowd-pleasing clinch that resolves everything too neatly. And some may find that Will's bouncing among his three loves wears out its welcome around the 90-minute mark.

For the most part, though, "Definitely, Maybe" succeeds at being credible, amusing, bittersweet and intelligent -- a "Manhattan"-esque exercise for twentysomethings that neither imitates Woody Allen (as so many do) nor goes the mumblecore route.

It helps that all leads are at their most appealing. Reynolds is in low-key form but still exerts deft comic timing; Weisz and Fisher sharply delineate characters that a more formulaic exercise might have simply turned into Quirky Girls 1 and 2. Banks is fine, though Emily winds up the least developed central figure. Kevin Kline has a great time in a short but showy role as a famous political analyst, and the supporting cast is full of nice turns you'll wish had more screen time.

A bit bland at first, the production package warms up to pay suitable homage to the Big Apple as a character. All tech and design contributions are smooth.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

2008-02-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

Cast: Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, David Strathairn, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Martin Short
Direction: Mark Waters.
Rating: 9/10

By Justin Chang, Variety.com
Spinning five short books into one sleek yarn, "The Spiderwick Chronicles" is a brisk, fine-tuned adaptation of Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's best-selling children's series. The tale of three young siblings -- and the goblins, fairies, griffins and ogres they find lurking in their backyard -- is a work of both modest enchantment and enchanting modesty, grounded in a classically Spielbergian realm where childlike wonderment crosses paths with the tough realities of young adulthood. With careful studio nurturing, this engaging, gratifyingly non-epic adventure should snag a midrange box office after its Feb. 14 release, benefiting from Imax dates and lack of family-friendly competition.

The disappointing recent performance of New Line's "The Golden Compass" may have cooled commercial expectations for fantasy blockbusters not adapted from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis; like "Compass," Paramount/Nickelodeon's latest effort shows a director previously known for light comedies -- here, Mark Waters ("Just Like Heaven," "Mean Girls," "Freaky Friday") -- taking risks on a broader, more ambitious canvas.

But though it arrives with less fanfare than "Compass" did, "Spiderwick" is a superior movie in almost all respects: less grandiose in scope, but richer in emotion and humor, and boasting visual effects appropriately scaled to the more intimate tenor of the production.

Young Jared (Freddie Highmore) is none too pleased to be leaving New York and moving into a rural Victorian manse with his newly divorced mom (Mary-Louise Parker, good), hot-tempered older sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger) and mellower identical twin Simon (also Highmore). Both mischievous and temperamental, Jared is immediately blamed for a series of pranks that turn out to be the handiwork of Thimbletack (voiced by Martin Short), a cute, elflike brownie who morphs, when provoked, into the angry Bogart.

Thimbletack is merely one of the supernatural denizens on the premises, not all of them benign: There are goblins afoot, invisible henchmen of the wicked, shape-shifting Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who's bent on obtaining a mysterious book left behind by Jared's great-great-uncle, Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn, seen in sepia-toned flashbacks). The tome is a sort of scientific field guide to the various kinds of fairies who, along with the entire human race, would be in grave danger if such knowledge were to fall into Mulgarath's possession.

Charged with safeguarding the book at all costs, Jared must plunder its secrets in order to protect them. More pressingly, he must get his siblings and increasingly exasperated mom to believe in the enchanted realm right outside their door -- which, in a sense, is precisely what the filmmakers must accomplish for the audience. They succeed with a sly, offhand approach that never leaves reality entirely behind, allowing the supernatural elements to manifest themselves gradually and imposing limitations on how that manifestation occurs.

Though truncated from the books and festooned with fewer rhymes and riddles, the script (by Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum and John Sayles) carefully establishes a set of rules governing its magical realm at the outset and adheres to them both scrupulously and cleverly. Plot points such as the kids' inability to see the goblins at first, or the "protective circle" drawn around the house by Spiderwick years ago to keep out evil, work to modulate suspense and emphasize the human characters' vulnerability.

And despite an abundance of comical CG creatures like Thimbletack and the friendly goblin Hogsqueal (voiced by Seth Rogen) -- whom viewers will probably like about as much as they like Dobby the house-elf in the "Harry Potter" pics -- the visual effects have a subtle, rough-hewn quality in keeping with the moody, autumnal reds and browns of Caleb Deschanel's cinematography. The pic builds steadily in visual grandeur, enveloping rather than bombarding the audience; late in the film, the sight of a character engulfed in pixie dust delivers a gorgeous, ethereal frisson.

With dad conspicuously absent, the script inevitably drifts into angry-kid/misunderstood-single-parent territory, which, though well played, feels like a distraction from the material rather than a dramatic extension of it. The pic also at times overdoes the sibling warfare, almost playing up Mallory's disbelief as a way to help audiences suspend their own.

But Waters never steers his actors wrong: Highmore ("Finding Neverland," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") is winning as ever in a dual role, and Bolger's feisty turn will impress anyone who saw her quietly heartbreaking debut in "In America"; with their fine American accents, the young actors never once betray that they're from across the pond. Joan Plowright makes a brief, welcome appearance as an elderly relative who holds secrets concerning the Spiderwick legacy.

Kudos to production designer James Bissell and an army of art directors and set decorators for bringing the cobwebs and crannies of the ramshackle Spiderwick estate vividly to life. The pic was shot in a secluded glade in Montreal, adding to the sense that the story is taking place at the blurred edges of two neighboring worlds; James Horner's score, at times plucking strings to eerie effect, completes the illusion.

Jumper

2008-02-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

Cast: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Diane Lane, Max Thieriot, AnnaSophia Robb, Rachel Bilson
Direction: Doug Liman.
Rating: 5/10

The science-fiction thriller "Jumper" is being marketed as a cross between the "Bourne" movies and "The Matrix." And sure, there's plenty of globe-trotting and an obscure mythology in place, and "Jumper" star Hayden Christensen does share a conveniently blank, otherworldly quality with fellow Canadian Keanu Reeves -- a trait that's balanced by the gravitas of a powerful African American actor (Samuel L. Jackson). But "Jumper" is all high concept with little invested in characters or story.

After a clunky introduction and voice-over by Christensen, the film leaps back eight years and we meet his character, David Rice (initially played by Max Thieriot), as a shy Ann Arbor, Mich., 15-year-old with a crush on classmate Millie Harris (AnnaSophia Robb). An incident with a bully reveals to David that he has the ability to teleport to anywhere so long as he can see the place or has a visual recollection or a photo.

After some rough landings, David masters the talent and recognizes it as his ticket out of a miserable life with his crabby dad (Michael Rooker). He relocates to New York City via a memory of visiting the Empire State Building as a child with his long-gone mother (Diane Lane) and reinvents himself as a bon vivant jet-setter (with no need for jets) funded by surreptitious visits to bank vaults.

Director Doug Liman, who did "Swingers" and "Go" before becoming an action guy with "The Bourne Identity" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," does a nimble job here, especially the opening sequences. David jumps through wormholes and there's some nifty stuff with the "jump scars" left behind, and Liman and his special effects team render them in jarring, frame-shattering fashion.

However, the script by David S. Goyer, Jim Uhls and Simon Kinberg, based on young adult novels by Steven Gould, squanders the tension created by the protagonist's realization of his power, primarily because the character is a cipher and kind of a weasel. There's no drive behind his choices and by the time his unauthorized withdrawals catch the attention of Roland (Jackson) -- a kind of time-space cop -- David's likability has worn thin.

Until this point, he's been operating in a world of no consequences, unaware that his ability is not unique. Threatened by the loss of his hedonist existence, what does he do? He inexplicably returns to Ann Arbor to look up Millie (played as an adult by Rachel Bilson). There's a wealth of possibility in exploring an ill-equipped young man with a supernatural gift, but "Jumper" barely scratches the surface.

Midway through, the movie gets a needed boost from the appearance of Jamie Bell as a fellow Jumper who educates David and the audience on the sketchy back story and Roland's gang of "Paladins." The groups' conflict is mercifully not depicted as strictly good versus evil, but time that might have been devoted to fleshing out these ideas is spent with David and Millie's chemistry-deficient relationship.

The filmmakers seem to be holding back, meandering to a conclusion that has the self-satisfied (and unearned) air of a sequel setup. "Jumper" seems half-done -- a long prologue building to a classic hero's journey or the launch of an antihero -- but comes to a screeching halt before it can begin either.

"Jumper." MPAA rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some language and brief sexuality. Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes. In general release.

Alien vs. Predator -Requiem (AVP-R)

2008-02-18T09:01:00.000-08:00

Cast: Kristen Hager, Sam Trammel, Robert Joy, Tom Woodruff, Jr. Ian Whyte, Chelah Horsdal.
Direction: The Brothers Strause.
Rating: 5/10

AVP-R is a film that somehow manages to make you want to watch a mindless killing spree of an alien and a predator as they duel on earth. It just amazes you about the extent to which they could have gone to and while doing so tends to fall short and not enough justice has been done to the alien and predator race.

If you have been a fan of the Alien and Predator series then this film will be a must watch but may just not leave you in awe of the two warring races. However the overall story is quite similar to its predecessor, alien lives and predator come to destroy it (huh?). The only fact this time is that the predator doesn’t care about the human race (the predators never cared about humans in the 1st place) and he doesn’t want to leave any evidence behind so he uses a fluid that disintegrates the carcasses. And unlike in the previous films the predator isn’t a hunter instead he’s more like a search and destroy squad with orders to leave nothing behind as proof.

The movie does have some thing that stands out though the sound effects are quite like the original alien and predator films. But this doesn’t work much as most of the scenes are filled with action and blood and gore. The film also marks the rise of the Pred-Alien; this folks is the alien that was impregnated in the dead predator from AVP 1.

While far away from the action on screen is the acting which is really not much to talk about as this was definitely no better than the first one in-fact it may have just dropped (huh?). While the script leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe the thing or rather the project looked different while on paper and translated to this thanks to the negligent execution of the film.

Apart from all of this there are some points of the film that when you think about it just make you wonder how the hell did that happen! Well for starters the aliens go from being newly born to full fledged man killers in a matter of five minutes! Strange... the next is that the sole predator manages to kill and rid the planet of so many aliens alone while helping himself with the humans also. It’s like he’s a clean up squad, just destroys and rids the remains of whatever comes in sight.

The humans play a really pathetic part in this film unlike the first where they actually involve themselves in the fight. (In the first AVP, the humans get their butts kicked as well). Here they are just there for foods, reproduction, and most of all bait. The last is used even by the US Army to lure the aliens and thus the predator to a common space and get nuked all at once.

Another few points AVP fans will notice is that; The predators wear their masks inside their ship, even though they are far away from earth which otherwise never is as the masks are usually battle masks. 2. The wrist bomb on the dead Pred is simply activated and the new predator just plainly walks off with it going off in the background. The flaw here is that usually when that explodes its like a small nuke going off. So what happened? Besides these there are a few more but you will have to watch the film to realize it.

On the whole if you are interested in a flick with lots of blood and gore and enjoy watching people get ripped apart this film will certainly satisfy all your senses and make you jump with joy. But I still fail to see why have the two races battle it out on earth and why does it look like just another Hollywood flick with lots of action and just not enough story depth.

Avril slams Britney’s ‘paparazzi’

2008-02-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Canadian singer Avril Lavigne has criticized the paparazzi for the way they keep on hounding Britney Spears.Lavigne claimed that she herself had problems with the press, but that it was still nothing compared to the treatment that Britney was getting at their hands.

"No one else has it as hard as Britney. I feel bad for her,” Contactmusic quoted Lavigne, as telling Maxim magazine."How does she even think with all those flashbulbs? When I'm being followed, everything's thrown off," she said. "They run lights. They cause accidents. She can’t even walk to her car," she added.