Posts Tagged ‘Fantasy’
Posted by Steve in Books, Interviews, Latest News, The Magic Lantern - Steve Weintz on August 1st, 2010
CJ Cherryh has been in front of a great many themes now commonplace at ComicCon and elsewhere. Readers and fans have acknowledged her chops by voting her three Hugo Awards, three Nebula Awards, and fistfuls of other accolades over an illustrious thirty-year career. Her worlds of the imagination range from deep space to the Russian forests, from the intricacies of the human heart to the vaudeville of Hell itself. Her novels Downbelow Station, Finity’s End, Cyteen and others, set during the “Company Wars” of the 25th Century, built up a gritty, realistic universe of working men and women surpassing the similar visions of the Alien series or Blade Runner. Cyteen is, in this writer’s opinion, the finest exploration of the ramifications of human cloning yet written. Her Foreigner series has long explored the conflicted loyalties of a human envoy to an alien world, while her Fortress in the Eye of Time and its sequels form a heroic fantasy as deep and rich as those of the acknowledged masters of the genre.
FM: Please talk about your connections to Forrest J Ackerman and “Famous Monsters of Filmland”.
CJ: I knew Forry when I was a novice as a published writer. I remember he had Bela Lugosi’s ring, quite a massive silver and onyx piece, which he wore. Once at a room party, someone happened to ask me about early books I’d read, and I happened to mention Anthony Gilmore’s Space Hawk, which it seemed only Robert Heinlein had read — he referenced it in Glory Road. I commented that I thought it was interesting because of its social impact: the copilot in the story, the sane guy whose principal role was to keep the hero from going off the deep end, was the hero’s best buddy, a black man, which was revolutionary at the time it was written. Forry happened to be sitting next to me, and he exclaimed, speaking of Gilmore, “He was a client of mine!” Well, I was amazed. And what should happen a month later, when I was back home and when I had totally forgotten the conversation, but a package from Forry, and a note that this was for me. It was a copy of Space Hawk. I was delighted to find it still read very well. Forry was, to my experience, a very sweet and generous man.
FM: What were and are the major artistic influences upon you?
CJ: Well, classical: I was a Latin-Greek major, and spent a lot of time trying to cram Vergilius Maro’s concepts into equally terse English. A hard job, I’ll tell you. My father started me off on Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was about 7, and after that, I hunted down ‘the good stuff’, be it Jack Williamson, Andre Norton, Burroughs, Frank Baum (when I was 7 and broke my arm), and Robert E. Howard.
FM: What interests you in imaginative entertainment today?
CJ: Besides books — I like certain animes, like Bleach, Descendants of Darkness, Kyo Kara Maoh, Saiyuki…
FM: If you could bring to life a lost or forgotten work, which one would it be?
CJ: Probably Gilmore; maybe Jeffrey Farnol — an American writer of adventure novels who had to go to England to get published; I liked H Rider Haggard, too — a little wordy by today’s standards, but Eric Brighteyes was always a favorite. Not to mention the “gateway” books of science fiction, the juveniles that used to give new readers an easy bridge into the field, and that now are hard to find: Andre Norton, CL Moore, Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein, Asimov’s juveniles, Leigh Brackett… If you can’t find them otherwise, look online. More and more SF works are turning up as e-books. I’m putting out my own backlist that way — but be sure you get them from a source that pays the writer or the writer’s estate! Don’t patronize the pirates!
FM: Thanks, CJ — we won’t!
Discuss this story on the official Famous Monsters of Filmland Forum!
Posted by Bryan in Books, Latest News, Movies on April 13th, 2010
Screenwriter Travis Adam Wright is ready to make the logical transition from Eagle Eye into the eye of the dragon. So to speak. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision, the scribe has been signed to adapt Here, There Be Dragons and The Search for the Red Dragon, the first two books in James A. Owen’s young-adult fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica.
Although the deal is only for two installments, the book series has published four novels to date. The over-arching story follows the framework of unpublished maps and journals of several infamous “author-adventurers.”To clarify, young fictionalized versions of both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis appear as protagonists within the series, experiencing events that will clearly inspire them in their own writing.
To bolster the daunting endeavor of producing the lavishly fantastical premise, producing company The Gotham Group has also brought on board Lord of the Rings co-producer Rick Porras, adding that indispensable genre credibility.
“James Owen has managed to create a global ‘what-if’ franchise which subsumes not just the LOTR trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia but the entire canon of Western literature from Milton to Jules Verne,” said Porras.
In a statement given after his hiring, Wright described his admiration for the book series’ aims, calling it “the best gift any fanboy of Tolkien, Lucas, and Spielberg could receive. Here is a character-driven franchise that is both familiar and fresh, where wit and intelligence, not just rifles and regiments, win the day.”
Certainly the series, and by extension the films, seem more directly aimed at a younger audience, but the integration of fantasy heroes should hopefully broaden the appeal of the films to those who might be curious about the invocation of Tolkien’s name.
The books are published by Simon & Schuster, who plans to release seven volumes in total, with the upcoming fifth installment, The Dragon’s Apprentice, due out this fall. This should be a project to keep an eye on, for young and old.
Tell us what you think about this project in the all-new Official Famous Monsters of Filmland Forum!
Posted by Natasia in Arts, Latest News, Movies, OBITS by Harris Lentz, III on March 5th, 2010
The fantasy community has lost a great artist.
Pierre Vinet, the still photographer for the Lord of the Rings trilogy and other recent fantasy films has died, according to the Tolkien fan site, TheOneRing.net.
Vinet has been an active still photographer for motion pictures since the late 70’s.
His relationship with the LOTR Director, Peter Jackson, goes back to 1992, when he was a still photographer for Jackson’s horror flick Braindead.
Vinet’s photos from the LOTR trilogy, including iconic photos of the film’s characters, were some of the first images released from the production, and have gone to represent the films in print publications, products and promotions throughout the world.
Vinet has also worked on numerous fantasy and horror films, including The Water Horse, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, King Kong and Battlefield Earth.
Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
Posted by dominie in Events on April 10th, 2009
As mentioned previously, here at Famous Monsters our emissary is to cover what you want to know. Your thoughts and commentary are always appreciated in helping us make FM your go-to community for genre news! On that note, I’d like to point you in the direction of this year’s FUNimation Anime Festival at the L.A. Comic Book and Sci-Fi Convention. Don’t miss this One Day Super Show on April 26, 2009!
Read the full press release below or visit www.comicbookscifi.com for more details.
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 10, 2009 – FUNimation Presents THE BEST OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY ANIME at the LOS ANGELES COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION on SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2009.
The LOS ANGELES COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION collaborates with FUNimation Entertainment for a special ANIME FESTIVAL. FUNimation is one of the leading producers and distributors of ANIME, and in this special six hour ANIME FESTIVAL, THE BEST OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY ANIME, West Coast Premieres of D. GRAY-MAN, ROMEO X JULIET, and HEROIC AGE will be featured. Films run from 11:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. FUNimation will also be providing free give-aways such as posters to attendees.
Other events happening include a personal appearance by FRANK COGHLAN JR., who starred in the 1941 Republic Pictures Serial THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. FRANK starred as Billy Batson, radio reporter, who upon speaking the word Shazam turns into CAPTAIN MARVEL. FRANK also starred as a child actor in many silent movies, and Flicker Alley is releasing FRANK’s 1927 movie THE YANKEE CLIPPER on dvd. FRANK will be at the Flicker Alley table signing his book, THEY STILL CALL ME JUNIOR: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHILD ACTOR, and while there is a charge for an autograph, it includes a choice of photo. This is a rare appearance by FRANK, who at age 93 is one of the few actors from the silent era making personal
appearances. (more…)
Posted by dominie in Movies on January 5th, 2009
According to /Film via The Daily Telegraph, Hugh Jackman (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Australia), Hugo Weaving (The Wolfman, Lord of the Rings series, The Matrix series), and Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) have been cast to provide their voices for Zack Snyder’s upcoming animated feature film, Guardians of Ga’Hoole, based on a New York Times bestselling children’s series by author Kathryn Lasky and illustrator Richard Cowdry.
Snyder’s animated feature will be based on the first three books in the 14 book series. The epic fantasy is set in the Forest of Tyto and “follows a young barn owl named Soren, who is kidnapped by owls of St. Aggie’s, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga’Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie’s” (/Film).
The movie will be made by Australian animation studio Animal Logic, the team behind Happy Feet, 300, and Babe. Warner Bros. has slated the Guardians for release on July 30, 2010.
Posted by dominie in Latest News, Movies on December 31st, 2008
Continuing with our 2009 preview, below we have the lineup from Sony Pictures including Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, and Sony Pictures Animation films.
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Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (January 23, 2009)
Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)
Director: Patrick Tatopoulos
Screenwriter: Danny McBride, Dirk Blackman, Howard McCain
Starring: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, Kevin Grevioux
Synopsis: “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” delves into the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires, known as Death Dealers, and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves). A young Lycan, Lucian (Michael Sheen), emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has persecuted them for hundreds of years. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, the beautiful vampire Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle to free the Lycans from their brutal enslavement. Visit EntertheUnderworld.com 
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Obsessed (April 24, 2009)
Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)
Director: Steve Shill
Screenwriter: David Loughery
Starring: Idris Elba, Beyonce Knowles, Ali Larter, Bruce McGill, Jerry O’Connell, Christine Lahti
Synopsis: Derek Charles (Idris Elba), a successful asset manager who has just received a huge promotion, is blissfully happy in his career and in his marriage to the beautiful Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles). But when Lisa (Ali Larter), a temp worker, starts stalking Derek, all the things he’s worked so hard for are placed in jeopardy. 
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Angels and Demons (May 15, 2009)
Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Director: Ron Howard
Screenwriter: David Koepp, Akiva Goldsman
Starring: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Synopsis: The team behind the global phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code” returns for the highly anticipated “Angels & Demons,” based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.
When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati – the most powerful underground organization in history – he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization’s most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican’s only hope for survival. Visit AngelsandDemons.com 
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2012 (July 10, 2009)
Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriter: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Starring: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments. “2012″ is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. 
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District 9 (August 14, 2009)
Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Screenwriter: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka, William Allen Young, Vanessa Haywood, Kenneth Nkosi, Devlin Brown
Synopsis: “District 9″ depicts a science fictional world where extraterrestrials have become refugees in South Africa.
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Zombieland (October 9, 2009)
Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Screenwriter: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg
Synopsis: Woody Harrelson has signed on to star in the horror comedy “Zombieland,” which revolves around a mismatched pair of survivors who find friendship and redemption in a world overrun by zombies. Harrelson plays one of the men, a zombie fighter named Albuquerque.
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The Stepfather (October 16, 2009)
Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)
Director: Nelson McCormick
Screenwriter: J.S. Cardone
Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Sherry Stringfield, Jon Tenney, Paige Turco, Amber Heard
Synopsis: Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school to find his mother (Sela Ward) happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side? 
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Planet 51 (November 20, 2009)
Studio: TriStar Pictures (Sony)
Director: Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martinez
Screenwriter: Joe Stillman
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Seann William Scott, Gary Oldman, John Cleese
Synopsis: Animated sci-fi tale set on “Planet 51,” whose inhabitants live in fear of an alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when astronaut Capt. Charles “Chuck” Baker arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident, the astronaut has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and return home. 
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Vinyan (TBA)
Studio: Sony
Director: Fabrice du Welz
Screenwriter: Oliver Blackburn, Fabrice de Welz
Starring: Rufus Sewell Emmanuelle Béart Julie Dreyfus Borhan Du Welz
Synopsis: Still not having accepted the loss of their son in a tsunami disaster, Janet and Paul Behlmer are back in Bangkok. Hanging on to the fact that his body has never been discovered, Janet desperately clings to the idea that pirates might have kidnapped their kid in the confusion that followed the catastrophe. Looking for someone to guide them in the Thai underworld, they bribe their way to a mysterious Mr. Gao, who takes them to Ranong, where a mercenary supplies them with a boat and crew to explore the pirate-infested shores of Burma. Slowly, they will lose themselves into a strange child-infested jungle and to their inner demons. 
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Malice In Wonderland (TBA)
Studio: Sony
Director: Simon Fellows
Screenwriter: Jayson Rothwell
Starring: Maggie Grace Danny Dyer Nathaniel Parker Katia Winter Bronagh Gallagher Matt King Paul Kaye
Synopsis: Jayson Rothwell’s script has Alice re-imagined as an American student who is hit by a London taxi and finds herself disoriented in Sunderland, where she has to navigate a macabre underworld of characters.
Posted by dominie in Latest News, Movies on December 31st, 2008
Continuing with our 2009 preview, below we have the lineup from DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures.
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The Uninvited (January 30, 2009)
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
Director: Thomas Guard, Charles Guard
Screenwriter: Craig Rosenberg, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard
Starring: Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn
Synopsis: In the suspense thriller The Uninvited, based on the 2003 Korean motion picture Changhwa, Hongryon written and directed by Kim Jee-woon, Anna (Emily Browning) returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother’s tragic death and discovers that her mother’s former nurse, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), has moved into their house and become engaged to her father, Steven (David Strathairn). Soon after she learns this shocking news, Anna is visited by her mother’s ghost, who warns her that Rachel has evil intentions. Together, Anna and her sister (Arielle Kebbel) must convince their father that his new fiancee is not who she pretends to be, and what should have been a happy family reunion becomes a lethal battle of wills between stepdaughters and stepmother. Visit Uninvitedmovie.com
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Monsters vs. Aliens (March 27, 2009)
Studio: DreamWorks Animation (Paramount)
Director: Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
Screenwriter: Not Available
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Kiefer Sutherland, Paul Rudd
Synopsis: When California girl Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. The military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, the President is persuaded to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction. Visit MonstersvsAliens.com 
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Case 39 (April 10, 2009)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Christian Alvart
Screenwriter: Ray Wright
Starring: Renee Zellweger Sam Easton Alexz Johnson Alexa Karter Chelan Simmons Kirsten Storms Alexis Thorpe
Synopsis: Case 39 centers on an idealistic social worker (Zellweger) who saves an abused 10-year-old girl from her parents only to discover that things are not as they appear. 
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Star Trek (May 8, 2009)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: J.J. Abrams
Screenwriter: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Starring: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy
Synopsis: From director J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III, Lost and Alias) and screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Transformers, MI: III) comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, Star Trek, featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no man has gone before. Visit StarTrekmovie.com 
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 26, 2009)
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriter: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey, Ramon Rodriguez, Isabel Lucas, John Turturro
Synopsis: In the highly-anticipated “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” debuting June 26, 2009, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) again joins with the Autobots® against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons®. Michael Bay directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman. Visit Transformersmovie.com 
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G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (August 7, 2009)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Stephen Sommers
Screenwriter: Stuart Beattie
Starring: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Byung Hun Lee, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, Said Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid
Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, whose previous collaboration was the worldwide blockbuster “Transformers,” join forces with Spyglass Entertainment for another extraordinary action-adventure “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” is directed by Stephen Sommers (“The Mummy,” “The Mummy Returns”). 
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The Lovely Bones (December 11, 2009)
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, Saoirse Ronan
Synopsis: Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar® winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, “The Lovely Bones” centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar® winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar® nominee Saoirse Ronan.
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Shutter Island (TBA 2009)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenwriter: Laeta Kalogridis
Starring: Max Von Sydow, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow
Synopsis: From Oscar®-winning director Martin Scorsese, “Shutter Island” is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.
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Paranormal Activity (TBA)
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
Director: Oren Peli
Screenwriter: Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherston Micah Sloat
Synopsis: A young couple suspects that their house is haunted by a malevolent entity. They set up video surveillance to capture evidence of what happens at night as they sleep. Their surveillance and home videos have been edited into the 99 minute feature film “Paranormal Activity”. 
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Carriers (TBA)
Studio: Paramount Vantage (Paramount)
Director: Àlex Pastor, David Pastor
Writer: Àlex Pastor, David Pastor
Starring: Lou Taylor Pucci Chris Pine Piper Perabo Emily VanCamp
Synopsis: Four friends fleeing a viral pandemic soon learn they are more dangerous than any virus. 
Posted by dominie in Latest News, Movies on December 31st, 2008
2008 is coming to a close, but that just means a whole new year of scary stories, creepy creatures, ghastly ghosts, (need I go on?) are upon us. And that’s exactly what we here, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a 2009 preview featuring a hefty slate of films that will keep your fingers tingling, including a re-release of 2008’s biggest picture, The Dark Knight. What films are you looking forward to most in 2009? Check out the individual synopses, release schedule, cast info, and click to watch available trailers below (courtesy of ComingSoon.net).
The Dark Knight (re-lease conventional theaters and IMAX January 23, 2009)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenwriter: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman
Synopsis: The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan with star Christian Bale, who returns to continue Batman’s war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker (Heath Ledger), who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Visit TheDarkKnight.com
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Inkheart (January 23, 2009)
Director: Iain Softley
Screenwriter: David Lindsay-Abaire
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis, Sienna Guillory, Eliza Hope Bennett, Rafi Gavron
Synopsis: Mortimer ‘Mo’ Folchart and his 12-year-old daughter, Meggie, share an extraordinary gift for bringing characters from books to life when they read aloud. But there is a danger: when a character is brought to life from a book, a real person disappears into its pages. On one of their trips to a secondhand book shop, Mo locates a book he’s been searching for since Meggie was three years old, when her mother, Resa, vanished into its mystical world. But Mo’s plan to use the book to find and rescue Resa is thwarted when Capricorn, the evil villain of Inkheart, kidnaps Meggie and, discovering she has inherited her father’s gift, demands that she bring to life his most powerful ally, the Shadow. Determined to rescue his daughter and send the fictional characters back where they belong, Mo assembles a small group of friends and family–some from the real world, some from the pages of books–and embarks on a daring and perilous journey to set things right. Visit Inkheartmovie.com
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Friday the 13th (February 13, 2009)
Director: Marcus Nispel
Screenwriter: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Derek Mears
Synopsis: From Platinum Dunes and director Marcus Nispel (“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) comes a re-imagining of the classic horror film “Friday the 13th.”
Searching for his missing sister, Clay heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins that lie in wait behind moss-covered trees.
And that’s not the only thing hiding under the brush.
Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has, with the help of a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are about to find much more than they bargained for.
Little do they know, they’ve entered the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American film history—the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete… Jason Voorhees. Visit Fridaythe13thmovie.com. 
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Watchmen (March 6, 2009)
Director: Zack Snyder
Screenwriter: David Hayter, Alex Tse
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson
Synopsis: A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, “Watchmen” is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” – which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union – is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion – a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers – Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the Watchmen? Visit Watchmenmovie.com
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A not so ghastly ghosts (depends on your view of ex-girlfriends)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (May 1, 2009)
Director: Mark S. Waters
Screenwriter: Scott Moore, John Lucas
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Lacey Chabert, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Anne Archer, Robert Forster
Synopsis: Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships–past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is. 
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Terminator Salvation (May 22, 2009)
Director: McG
Screenwriter: Michael Ferris, John Brancato, Paul Haggis, Jonathan Nolan, Shaun Ryan, Anthony Zuiker
Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood, Common
Synopsis: In the highly anticipated new installment of “The Terminator” film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind. Visit TerminatorSalvation.com
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 17, 2009)
Director: David Yates
Screenwriter: Steven Kloves
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, David Bradley, Jessie Cave, Frank Dillane, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Helen McCrory, Natalia Tena, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Bonnie Wright
Synopsis: Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn’t counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates! And then there’s Hermione, simpering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again. Visit HarryPotter.com. 
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Orphan (July 24, 2009)
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Screenwriter: David Leslie Johnson
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder
Synopsis: The tragic loss of their unborn child has devastated Kate and John, taking a toll on both their marriage and Kate’s fragile psyche as she is plagued by nightmares and haunted by demons from her past. Struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the couple decides to adopt another child. At the local orphanage, both John and Kate find themselves strangely drawn to a young girl named Esther. Almost as soon as they welcome Esther into their home, however, an alarming series of events begins to unfold, leading Kate to believe that there’s something wrong with Esther–this seemingly angelic little girl is not what she appears to be. Concerned for the safety of her family, Kate tries to get John and others to see past Esther’s sweet facade. But her warnings go unheeded until it may be too late…for everyone. 
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Final Destination (August 21, 2009)
Director: David R. Ellis
Screenwriter: Eric Bress
Starring: Shantel VanSanten, Bobby Campo, Haley Webb, Nick Zano, Krista Allen, Andrew Fiscella, Richard T. Jones, Mykelti Williamson
Synopsis: On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O’Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him. When he comes out of this grisly nightmare Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave… escaping seconds before Nick’s frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they’ve cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one–in increasingly gruesome ways–Nick must figure out how to cheat death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination. The film marks the latest in the highly popular “Final Destination” series, and its first 3D installment, giving horror fans an especially visceral thrill ride. 
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Whiteout (September 11, 2009)
Director: Dominic Sena
Screenwriter: Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short, Alex O’Loughlin, Shawn Doyle, Tom Skerritt
Synopsis: Carrie Stetko, the lone U.S. Marshal assigned to Antarctica, is investigating the continent’s first murder, which draws her into a shocking mystery. Now, with only three days until winter, Carrie must solve the crime before Antarctica is plunged into darkness and she is stranded with the killer. 
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Where the Wild Things Are (October 16, 2009)
Director: Spike Jonze
Screenwriter: Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers
Starring: Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker
Synopsis: Maurice Sendak’s classic book Where the Wild Things Are comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. 
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The Box (November 6, 2009)
Director: Richard Kelly
Screenwriter: Richard Kelly
Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella
Synopsis: Norma and Arthur Lewis are a suburban couple with a young child who receive an anonymous gift bearing fatal and irrevocable consequences. A simple wooden box, it promises to deliver its owner $1 million with the press of a button. However, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world…someone they don’t know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the crosshairs of a startling moral dilemma and face the true nature of their humanity. 
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Sherlock Holmes (November 29, 2009)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Screenwriter: Michael Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, Eddie Marsan
Synopsis: In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous characters, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country. 
Posted by Dominic in Movies on August 23rd, 2008
Scottish actor Kevin McKidd (Rome) told a Dublin radio audience that he may well become the new Highlander.
Summit Entertainment has yet to announce casting for their revival of the popular franchise but McKidd would certainly fit the bill.
Posted by dominie in Comics on August 21st, 2008
Production for the animated sci-fi feature film, Technotise: Edit and I, has been going on for eight years now and will finally premiere in November this year. The film is the first Serbian animated feature to be created. Writer-director Aleksa Gajic first developed it as a sequel to his Technotise graphic novel.
“The plot is set in Belgrade in 2074. The main character is Edit, a female psychology student. After her sixth failure at the same university exam, she decides to have the chip installed to help her pass. From that moment, her life changes and unusual things start happening to her.”
Rumors are that the animated feature “looks far from being unoriginal, both in style and substance.” Inspiration for the graphics came from a mixture of Japanese anime and realistic drawings with static scenes, emphasized atmosphere, and authentic artistic expression. The process also included explorations in classic 2D animation and transitioned to improved 3D animation followed by vector animation.
Posted by Dominic in Movies on August 12th, 2008
One of the great films FM covered when it first opened in 1963 was Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts. Although remade in the past, nothing quite captured the charm of the original. That has not stopped Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk) from writing a new big screen version of the same Greek story. This one is dubbed The Argonauts for 20th-Century Fox. DreamWorks is said to also be developing their own interpretation of the story although their film would feature treasure hunters from today transported back to the time of Jason. This comes the same time that War of the Gods and the remake of Clash of the Titans are also moving into production. And let’s not forget competing Hercules films as mentioned last week.
Feel free to blame 300’s smash success for this flurry of tales from Greece.
For those not in the know, the Argonauts are the Greek sailors who sought the fable golden fleece in the years preceding the Trojan War. Following their leader Jason, their ship was known as the Argo.
Posted by Dominic in Movies on August 8th, 2008
Russian bodybuilder turned action star/producer Alexander Nevsky has announced his intention to revisit the lion of Olympus in Hercules: The Beginning. According to Variety, Nevsky is mounting this through his production company, Hollywood Storm, and will have $12 million to produce the feature.
Interesting, after years of not being seen since the Kevin Sorbo television series ended, now Nevsky and Millennium Films both intend to do stories based on the Roman demigod, who was adapted from the Greek myth of Heracles.
Hercules first gained film notoriety in a series of films starring Steve Reeves in the 1950s followed by the 1997 Disney film that used Tate Donovan as the voice. Lou Ferrigno preceded Sorbo as a filmed hero.
