International Trailer for Clash of the Titans

Posted by Jesse in Latest News, Movies on February 1st, 2010

Monster fans, view and drool!

Here’s the international trailer for Warners’ upcoming remake of Clash of the Titans, which will be released in 2D and 3D on March 26.

And yes, there’s quite a bit more “Clashing” in this trailer, but more importantly a few performance moments with action-star-du-jour Sam Worthington as Perseus, current-shorthand-for-ultimate-villain Ralph Fiennes as Hades and movie-god Liam Neeson as Zeus. Not to mention a whole mess of James Bond alumnus!

As well as a heavy dose of monster-mania… Gotta love giant scorpions, tree people, etc. Get a load of that Kraken – nice how the new design manages to nod its head back to Harryhausen’s Ymir-inspired beastie of the original 1981 film.

Thanks to IGN for posting.

Titans and Potter Comin’ At Ya

Posted by Jesse in Latest News, Movies on January 28th, 2010

Classic monster fans could have predicted this was coming – heck, the Creature beat Avatar by five decades…

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it seems that Warner Bros. has been testing a 3D-ification process – provided by an outside vendor – on their upcoming tentpole actioner Clash of the Titans, and are pleased enough with the results, that the WB is now planning to apply it to the upcoming two-part franchise finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The costs for this heavy duty process have come down significantly in the last few years, and it is reported that 3D conversion on Titans will only cost an additional $5 million, plus an additional $5 million for production of the stereoscopic glasses.

The monster heavy Harryhausen remake has seen its release pushed back a week to April 2, to accommodate the process. Titans will have to share 3D screens with Paramount/DreamWorks’ animated family flick How to Train Your Dragon, as well as (by then) old stalwarts Alice in Wonderland and Avatar.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I will be released November 19, with Part II coming next year on July 15, 2011.

The Westmore Monsters of Hollywood

Posted by Jesse in Latest News, Movies on January 11th, 2010

Written by Scott Essman

In the history of the modern American cinema, there are but few legacies of makeup artists.  While the legendary Burman and Dawn names each include three generations of makeup artists, there is but one lasting family that features four working generations: the Westmores of Hollywood.  With ties to virtually every studio in the annals cinema, the Westmores have created classic makeups in top contemporary film and TV shows back to the earliest years of silent film.

George Westmore, the patriarch of the Westmore clan at the turn of the century, worked as a wigmaker in his native England — where he was born in 1879 — and gave birth to sons Mont (born in 1902), twins Perc and Ern (born in 1904), Wally (born in 1906), and a daughter, Dorothy (born in 1907).  The young family traveled to the U.S. to seek better opportunities and maintained a wig-making and beauty salon business which floated amongst various cities, settling in Cleveland in 1914.  George taught his elder sons the art of wig-making and hairdressing, leading to their move to California three years later.  Upon his arrival in Los Angeles in 1917, George worked at the swank Maison Cesare, a hairdressing salon that catered to the general public, making wigs and hairpieces.   Sensing that his future rested in the nascent motion picture business, George started the first makeup department in movie history when he talked his way into a $25 per week job at the Selig Studio that same year.  George eventually became Billie Burke’s personal makeup artist, created Mary Pickford’s legendary hair curls, then began making up her friend Douglas Fairbanks, all the while maintaining his chores at Mason Cesare.

Without a doubt, the Westmore family fortunes turned in 1920 when Perc, who was helping his father at the salon with janitorial duties, was startled by a customer who burst through the door, demanding to see George.  It seemed the man, an actor, had shaved off half of his moustache accidentally and was due on the set of a big movie.  Perc convinced the man that he could fix the problem, telling him the celebrity that he was a wigmaker as skilled as his father.  Ninety minutes later, an astonished Adolphe Menjou couldn’t determine which side was Perc’s ventilated moustache piece and which was his real hair.  Menjou left the salon for the set of The Three Musketeers, and another Westmore vaulted into the motion-picture business.

On the heels of his “discovery,” Perc Westmore established the second Westmore-run makeup department with his brother Ern at First National Pictures (later absorbed by Warner Bros.) in 1923.  Supervising the makeup concepts for countless stars of the era, Perc remained the studio’s makeup department head until he left in 1950 to manage the House of Westmore beauty salon which he opened with his brothers in 1935.  Among his many significant contributions to the field was the invention of the hairlace wig.  Eventually, all of the Westmore brothers were significant figures in movie makeup. Mont was Rudolph Valentino’s makeup artist and worked for David O. Selznick on films such as Gone with the Wind before his untimely death in 1940 before his 38th birthday.  Youngest brother Frank worked for Cecil B. DeMille and Ern was a staple of RKO pictures. What happened was that after Ern and Perc had jointly opened the first makeup department at First National which became Warner Bros, Perc remained at the latter while Ern left to open a makeup department at RKO.  Then, Ern was one of the first special effects makeup artists and in 1931 won the Academy Cup for best makeup for his work on Cimarron starring Richard Dix and Irene Dunne. It was the first Academy recognition of a makeup artist and took 33 years before it officially happened again with Bill Tuttle and The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.  In addition to these accomplishments, the other brothers would create some of the screen’s most memorable movie monsters of all time.

In the early years, movies had curious monsters. We had amazing European contributions such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, starring Conrad Veidt and Der Golem starring Paul Wegener with stateside triumphs including John Barrymore as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  From Europe also came Nosferatu with Max Schreck as a vampire and MGM had numerous monsters with actors such as Lon Chaney and makeup genius from silent films’ Cecil Holland at the studio.  He created many memorable characters such as Fu Manchu with Boris Karloff before handing the studio reins of makeup over to Jack Dawn.  Of course, at Universal Studios, Jack Pierce created the most timeless of monsters in such 1930s and 1940s films as Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man.

On Perc’s recommendation, Wally Westmore became head of the new makeup department at Paramount Pictures in 1926 — he was only 20 years old at the time.  Through his career there, reputedly among the most stable of his brothers, Wally created makeups for Bing Crosby, W.C. Fields, and many Cecil B. DeMille movies.  One of his more celebrated early achievements was the Mr. Hyde makeup for Frederic March in 1932.  Paramount’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde called for March to hideously transform into his evil incarnation, an effect achieved in-camera without time-lapse photography through the use of special red filters and re-colored makeup.  Using his father’s ventilated wig technology, Wally fashioned a bushy wig for March and added special protuberant teeth from a wax mold.  He built up March’s face in a Neanderthal style, using soft clay on his nose, cheeks, jaw and ears.  The combination of makeup and performance garnered March the Academy Award for best actor, still to this day an unprecedented feat for a horror film.

In 1933, Wally worked on another landmark monster film with Island of Lost Souls, starring Charles Laughton who would make his mark six years later with another Westmore makeup.  In Lost Souls, however, he played Dr. Moreau, creator of part-man part-beast things, which challenged Wally to develop another hybrid group of characters.  Among those in the film was a notable Bela Lugosi, just two years removed from Dracula, wearing Wally’s complex hair work as a self-proclaimed “thing”.  For certain, Lost Souls remains a haunting early sound horror film to this day.

At the end of the decade, one project would stand at the forefront of the Westmore legacy legacy.  1939 itself was undoubtedly a landmark year for makeup, with the ingenious characters that Jack Dawn developed for The Wizard of Oz and Jack Pierce’s striking creations in Son of Frankenstein.  Not to be outdone, RKO was planning a lavish re-make of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, though decidedly without the makeup and acting talents of Lon Chaney.  The film was to star Charles Laughton, with overall makeup supervision by the studio’s department head, Mel Berns.

According to his widow, Francine Berns, Mel Berns joined RKO Pictures in 1929 supervising over 30 hairdressers and makeup men on films like King Kong. He and Perc were buddies.  They were both honored in the 1950s at the old Palladium in Hollywood at a dinner where they received plaques as being pioneers in makeup. To execute the Quasimodo makeup on Hunchback, Berns recommended Perc who was brought in to RKO at the unheard of sum of $10,000 to create Laughton’s makeup design.  With the advent of George Bau’s new foam rubber formula, a lightweight facial makeup and hump were designed for Laughton after the actor rejected 12 of Perc’s early designs.  The final concept, with a copper nose-bridge and eyelid to actuate Quasimodo’s fallen eye, was the crowning achievement of Perc’s career.

Bud Westmore, the second youngest of the makeup artist brothers to Frank, was born in 1918.  After toiling in the makeup trenches for year s – often going uncredited in the 1930s, he finally broke through in some major 1940s films. Then, when Jack Pierce’s methods became considered passé, Bud, still in his 20s, was promoted to head of the makeup department at Universal Studios where he remained for 25 years.  Bud presided over every Universal film of the period, working on some classic monster pictures.

The first of those was Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.  For that film, a sequel to the Universal classics of the early 1930s through mid-1940s, Bud had to recreate the famous characters of Count Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and The Wolf Man.

The big difference was where Jack Pierce created the characters with hand-laid materials, going on one step at a time, Bud used prefabricated foam rubber appliances.  So, while Bela Lugosi as Dracula was created much the same with basic greasepaint, Glenn Strange as Frankenstein was created with rubber pieces.  Glenn had played the role twice for Jack Pierce, in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula, but when Bud was tasked with recreating the famous hulking character, he had his top foam latex makeup artist, Jack Kevan, do the job.  Kevan made a rubber head piece for Strange and used other techniques that too modern for old guard artists like Pierce.  Many could not tell the difference, but aficionados can see that the Abbott and Costello Strange monster is just different enough from the Pierce monster to discern between the two.

To create the famous Wolf Man makeup, again on Lon Chaney Jr. as it had been during Pierce’s films including The Wolf Man, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, and House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula, again Westmore needed to streamline the process.  So, he enlisted Emile LaVigne, a veteran of Jack Dawn’s team at MGM from films including Wizard of Oz where he had co-created the Tin Man on Jack Haley.  In lieu of Jack Pierce’s hand-laid yak hair to create the famous Wolf Man, LaVigne used rubber pieces like Kevan did with the Frankenstein Monster.  This not only made the process more comfortable for Chaney, Jr, it drastically reduced the application time of the makeup.  Again, Chaney’s appearance is altered from the Pierce version in the new visage that Bud had LaVigne create.  Needless to say, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein became an all-time classic and put Bud firmly on the makeup map for the rest of his career.

In the 1950s, Bud Westmore’s department expanded and he was given some big projects.  In 1953, he created Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with old pro Boris Karloff as the titular characters.  By this time, Karloff was in his 60s, so cutting down on the makeup process was a must.  Again, Bud brought in Kevan to do the makeup.  Now with his own style coming through many of his makeups, Kevan’s familiar look permeated his Mr. Hyde.  As in earlier Hyde projects such as that of his older brother Wally, this Hyde required a transformation which Kevan created step-by-step with dissolves.   In most of the

Hyde scenes, however, Karloff is wearing mask-like pieces.  At this time, Bud also was able to goof on the Universal mummies with Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy.

But it was a project that came to the studio in 1953 that presented Bud with his biggest challenge.  The Creature from the Black Lagoon was a huge project which required a full head-to-toe Gill –Man suit and mask that would be worn by two actors – Ben Chapman for the land scenes at Universal in Los Angeles, and Ricou Browning for the water scenes to be shot in Florida.  For this daunting task, Westmore had Kevan by his side to break down and organize the suit but brought in key others to do the job.  Artist Milicent Patrickdesigned the creature while Chris Mueller sculpted his key features.  Kevan had a busy sizeable lab running at Universal with artists like Tom Case and Bob Dawn – Jack’s son – presiding over the molds and fabrication.  In fact, it was Bob himself who suited up Ben Chapman on a daily basis.  Though Bud’s name is the only one to appear in the credits, his astute assemblage of these key artists made the Gill-Man one of Universal’s most unforgettable monster characters of all time!

If the 1950s weren’t already busy enough with various science fiction and monster projects, many of which Kevan ran for Bud, a 1957 project was perhaps their most challenging yet.  Man of a Thousand Faces was a Lon Chaney biopic which required the recreation of some of Chaney’s most famous screen characters.

Bud knew that to provide accurate likenesses of the famous Chaney makeups – many of which Chaney created himself with secretive techniques – would be an impossibility.  Thus, he enlisted Kevan to “reinvent” the makeups and capture their spirit in lieu of a literal translation of them.  Adding to their problem was the casting of James Cagney, who while a fine actor, had a small round face unlike Chaney’s original features.  Thus, though Kevan created a clown, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Phantom of the Opera, these makeups failed to approximate those of Chaney’s originals, though providing a touching homage to the grandfather of movie monster artists.

Bud worked through the 1960s on Universal’s films and increasingly popular TV projects, but he was let go after 25 years at the studio and passed away in just a year later in 1973.  He was just 55 years old.  His final film as an artist was doing makeup on the cult sci-fi classic Soylent Green.

Marvin G. Westmore is a six-time Emmy-nominated makeup artist with a history of over 45 years in consumer makeup and in the motion picture andtelevision industry.  Marvin, Mont Westmore’s middle son whose older brother Mont, Jr. was a longtime makeup artist and whose younger brother Michael won numerous Emmys and an Oscar, eventually got into the business on his own terms.  “I didn’t get into the business through nepotism,” he said of his early years of struggle.  “Eventually, my older brother Mont – who was also a full-fledged makeup artist – put a makeup case in my hand and sent me to Universal.”

Marvin ended up working over six years at CBS and moved to 20th Century Fox, where among many projects, he did makeup on the 1960s children’s classic, Doctor Doolittle.  Stints at Paramount and Universal followed before Marvin ultimately went freelance.  “That’s when I felt that I was able to grow the most,” Marv stated.

Among his numerous freelance makeup challenges was working as the department head of the 1982 science-fiction classic, Blade Runner.  As the producers and director Ridley Scott were looking for unprecedented makeup concepts, Marvin was an ideal department head.  “Every makeup I do is something that hadn’t been done before,” he said of his methodology.  “Blade Runner had everything from beauty to blood and guts gore, character, old age, and a snake woman.  I had a crew of up to forty, but the size didn’t make any difference since I had a really good quality of people.  I picked a couple of key makeup and hair people on those big sets to be assistant department heads, and I did all of the principal characters.”

For his efforts on Blade Runner, which included only two weeks of prep in Marvin’s Beverly Hills salon followed by over three months on sets, Marvin received a British Academy of Film and Television nomination for best makeup of 1982.  Among the many innovations on Blade Runner was the variety of makeup approaches used, such as Marvin’s decision to airbrush Daryl Hannah’s eye makeup onscreen for her climactic scenes.

Marvin is also the founder and CEO of the Westmore Academy of Cosmetic Arts right here in Burbank California across from NBC Television.  With his Westmore Academy, Marvin Westmore and all of his students have a rich family legacy on which to draw.  Due to Marvin’s experiences, every conceivable aspect of makeup is instilled in all students who attend the Academy.

In addition to his lengthy career in TV and film, starting as John Chambers’ apprentice in the early 1960s, Michael Westmore served as makeup department head of Star Trek for the franchise’s films and TV shows from 1987 to 2005.  He was nominated for a Best Makeup Academy Award for Star Trek: First Contact in 1996 as well as for The Clan of the Cave Bear in 1986 and 2010 in 1984. He won the Best Makeup Oscar in 1985 for Mask.

But it was a 1980 film that possibly produced his greatest work, even though it came before the time when makeup was regularly awarded by the Academy.  Raging Bull was director Martin Scorsese’s epic boxing biopic of real-life middleweight Jake LaMotta.  A bruiser from the Bronx, LaMotta was known to be as tough outside the ring as he was in it, where he became middleweight champion in the 1950s after a decade’s struggle.  Brought in to create the makeups and effects was Michael Westmore, coming off nearly two decades in the business at that point, including a sleeper boxing film of the late 1970s called Rocky.

For the new film, Westmore created various likenesses for LaMotta, played by Robert DeNiro in an Oscar-winning performance.  In the story, the character goes from the 20-something Jake in his fighting prime, to the 40-something retired Jake 60 who is pounds overweight.  DeNiro wore different foam rubber noses that Westmore fabricated for the various life stages.  For the boxing sequences, Westmore also made eyelids for the extreme cuts and bruises that LaMotta endured.

For closeups of LaMotta’s nose breaking, Westmore made a nose rigged with a teeter-totter sitting over the bridge of DeNiro’s nose.  Westmore said, “It had a wax nostril on one side.  So, when you actually put the glove into the nose, it crushed the wax nostril which hit the teeter-totter which went across the bridge of the nose and pushed it down.  It was made to actually look like it broke on camera.”  Westmore rigged other effects such as eyebags hooked up to hypodermic needles with tubes under the skin to simulate blood coming out of LaMotta’s face when he’s received a punch to the head.  On camera, with Scorsese’s slow-motion preferences and Michael Chapman’s black-and-white cinematography, these makeups and effects were of the highest caliber of realism.

Of his time on Raging Bull, Michael Westmore said, “When I finished Raging Bull, I literally said to myself, ‘I probably will never do another movie like this the rest of my life.’  I’m really glad and happy I’ve had my one shot on a film like this.”  According to many film critics’ circles, Raging Bull was considered the best film of the 1980s.

The Westmore name, now with over 90 years in the business, is surely one of the proudest and most successful in the world of movie makeup and monsters.  Clearly, with new Westmores always entering the business, now representing the fourth and soon fifth generations of the family name to do so, The Westmores of Hollywood will be well-known for a many years to come.  Only one accolade remained for the family – a Star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.  It finally came to pass on October 3, 2008 with Marvin and Michael present, representing their entire family, including that legendary patriarch George, and his amazing sons and grandchildren.  The star simply notes: “THE WESTMORES.”

Must-Watch 2010: Top 10 Genre Films

Posted by Jesse in Latest News, Movies on January 11th, 2010

MUST WATCH 2010

TOP 10 GENRE FILMS

2010 has a lot to offer film fans, and we here at Famous Monsters are eager to point out to you, the reader, some of the genre titles we’re most excited about in the coming year. There are loads more films that we are anxious to see, but here’s our top ten Must-Watch Genre Films of 2010:

1. Inception

Release Date: July 16, 2010

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine

Writers: Christopher Nolan

What the hell is this movie about? You know, I have no clue – and I’m absolutely okay with that.

I can’t remember the last time I walked into a movie having no idea what it was really about. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure plenty of Inception will be spoiled by July, but so far I’m in love with the fact that Nolan’s managed to keep so much of this flick a secret. We’re six months away and we don’t even know the basic plot! According to the newest trailer, Paris folds in half, people look serious and beverages break the laws of physics. Oh, and a train finds a quicker route through mid-town.

Color me perplexed and very, very jazzed.

2. Iron Man 2

Release Date: May 7, 2010

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Mickey Roarke, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson

Writers: Justin Theroux

Who needs to be sold on this one?

While Iron Man had its weaknesses (mainly a limp climax and an incongruously hammy villain), everything that needed to be good was, in fact, great. Everything usually lacking in blockbuster action films -  complex characters, witty writing and charming performances – was cannily presented under confident direction.

So what can we expect from Iron Man 2? Judging from the trailers, looks like more of the same. And I couldn’t be happier.

With a decidedly more threatening villain (in the form of Mickey Roarke’s vengeful Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash), higher stakes in the form of added characters (Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, Sam Rockwell’s slippery arms dealer Justin Hammer) and the promise of War Machine (with Don Cheadle stepping in for a departed Terrence Howard) as well as more Nick Fury (a returning Samuel L. Jackson), IM2 looks as bright and shiny as its metal hero.

3. Shutter Island

Release Date: February 19, 2010

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earle-Haley

Writers: Leata Kalogridis, from the novel by Dennis Lehane

Martin Scorsese directing Leonardo DiCaprio has become a welcome treat every few years, but to have Scorsese direct a mystery thriller from writer Denis Lehane (whose Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone have already been adapted into excellent films) is an enticing proposition.

A ’50’s-era thriller which finds DiCaprio’s U.S. Marshall lost amid mad-goings-on in an offshore insane asylum, Shutter Island pays stylistic tribute to the genre thrillers that so influenced Scorsese throughout his career (everything from the works of producer Val Lewton, to Orson Welles’ adaptation of Kafka’s The Trial).

Nothing is quite as splendiferous like Scorsese in his element, and Shutter Island – with its paranoid protagonist trapped in a plot as claustrophobic and labyrinthine as the nut house itself – certainly looks like prime territory for him.

Too cool.

4. The Wolfman

Release Date: February 12, 2010

Director: Joe Johnston

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving

Writers: Andrew Kevin Walker, David Self

Make no mistake, this is one troubled film. But by “troubled,” I by no means infer “doomed.” A director jumping ship prior to shooting, reshoots, two pushed release dates, four editors and multiple, variant test-screenings are not traditionally good signs, but who can argue with the trailers?

In look and tone it feels as though we’re getting a film that may live up to the legend of the original. I’m also comforted by the dedication and respect to the source material so far demonstrated by all concerned (Del Toro’s favorite film is original 1941 The Wolf Man, and this project was a labor of love). Any chance to see Rick Baker tackle the daddy of all werewolves is a must (even if there are unconfirmed reports he’s unhappy with how much CGI has been used to augment his creature).

I’m curious in the extreme, but cautious as well.

5. Kick Ass

Release Date: April 16, 2010

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lyndsy Fonseca

Writers: Jane Goldman, based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar

This one’s as big a “no brainer” as they get. Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust) adapts Mark Millar’s (Wanted) gritty, hilariously subversive comic book sensation with style and wit (if we can gauge anything from the, ahem, kick-ass trailers). With great word of mouth from early screenings (including raves from Butt-Numb-A-Thon), and a secret weapon in the form of Chloe Moretz as the foul-mouthed, deadly Hit Girl, and anticipation on this one is riding high.

6. Daybreakers

Release Date: January 8, 2010

Director: Peter and Michael Spierig

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Willem Defoe, Sam Neill

Writer(s): Peter and Michael Spierig

Released by: Lionsgate

Words cannot express how sick I am of vampires. Really. The words have yet to be articulated, written down and canonized in any language, from Catalan to Farci. I don’t care if it’s good (True Blood), bad (The Vampire Diaries) or unspeakable (sorry Twi-Hards), I just don’t have the energy to care anymore.

Enter Daybreakers, with what could be a ridiculous premise (a vampire-run future society must deal with an extinction of the human blood supply), though seemingly classily told (initial word is quite positive) and artfully shot (those trailers look nice). Couple that with an intriguing cast (I’ll watch Sam Neill eat a McRib sandwich. Seriously. Test me.) and a cool marketing campaign (love those striking, eighties-esque posters) and I’m interested, which is an incredible accomplishment, considering the general vampire malaise.

7. Tron Legacy

Release Date: December 17, 2010

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, Olivia Wilde, Beau Garrett, John Hurt, Daft Punk

Writers: Richard Jefferies, Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis

Is 28 years too long to wait for a sequel? If it’s Tron, I guess not. Legacy finds the son (Gerrett Hudland) of Bridges’ computer hacker Flynn drawn into the program his father created, a program which has apparently evolved into a much larger and more dangerous place. The original film was a groundbreaking exercise in early CGI, and has garnered a healthy cult fan base based off of the stunning look of the film (not to mention the obvious draw for the tech-geek audience), and in that sense Legacy – with decades of digital advancement between the original and now – has a lot to live up to. Judging from the early teaser trailer and test footage screened at Comic-Con, Kosinski might do the original justice yet.

This movie has Bruce Boxleitner in it. What more do you need?

8. Predators

Release Date: July 9, 2010

Director: Nimrod Antal

Cast: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Laurence Fishburne, Alice Brage, Walton Goggins,

Writers: Robert Rodriguez, Alex Litvak, Michael Finch

Based on a treatment Rodriguez penned for Fox some years back, the film is intended to wipe the slate clean on the beloved franchise, giving audiences the Predator sequel we should have had from the beginning.

Danny Glovers and Requiems aside, director Antal (Vacancy, Armored) has assembled a hell of a fine cast for this picture, which – it is rumored – will take us to the Predator home world.

Title and style inspired by James Cameron’s Aliens, we cannot help but be excited for what Rodriguez and company have in store for us.

9. Toy Story 3

Release Date: June 18, 2010

Director: Lee Unkrich

Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton, Jodi Benson, Blake Clark, Timothy Dalton, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Bonnie Hunt, Jeff Garlin, Whoopi Goldberg, Kristen Schaal

Writers: Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich

I’m tempted to be a little anxious about the prospect of a Toy Story 3…

Both previous Toy Story films were masterful: beautifully designed, emotionally charged, classic family filmmaking. 3 has been gestating for years and now, here at the precipice, I feel like I should be nervous – I mean, what “Part III” has ever lived up to expectations? (Return of the King doesn’t count…)

But, this is Pixar. And, therefore, I have nothing but faith.

With Andy going off to college (the trailer makes it seem like Andy’s been playing with these toys all the way up through high school; is he… okay…?), the toys are left wide open for donation to a local day care center, leaving the toys no choice but to plan a Great Escape-style, well, escape.

Sounds great, and the aforementioned trailer is plenty funny. Pixar’s 10 for 10, and expectations aside, I’d wager Toy Story 3 delivers.

10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part 1

Release Date: November 19, 2010

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Writers: Steve Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling

I have admit, I’m not the biggest Harry Potter devotee – not out of any dislike, but purely from being out of the loop. Call me a Muggle, I guess. I mean, I’ve enjoyed my brief flirtations with Rowling’s books, each of which became more confident, complex and complete with each volume, but my exposure to the Potter universe has been largely through the films. Last years Half-Blood Prince delivered a lot of fury, drama and some crushing blows to young Harry Potter, and while I thought David Yates’ direction perfectly fit the world of the books and his understanding of their coming of age themes dead on, the film felt somewhat rushed.

With any book as lengthy as the late-series Potter’s tended to be, a film adaptation will no doubt leave a lot behind, all while it struggles to cram in as much as it can. One can see the difficulties the filmmaker’s face each time out. So the two-film approach to Deathly Hollows (a book of nearly 800 pages!) makes sense. It will be intriguing to see if the added total length will give the story the breathing room it needs as the story draws to its emotional close.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that the three main players mature (in performance, not just in physicality – I see you looking at Watson like that…) with each picture, and that they feel primed to deliver for the climax of the series. Millions of fans are primed right along with them.

Honorary Mention:

Note – the only reason this title is not included in the Top 10 is because it is yet to be confirmed as a 2010 release. That, and we like to cheat.

Tree of Life

Release Date: 2010 (tentative)

Director: Terence Malick

Cast: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain

Writers: Terence Malick

2 films in five years is, for Terrence Malick, a break-neck speed.  For the man who usually spends a decade or so between films this is a pleasant surprise to those of us who are big fans of the man’s work.  There may be no more a polarizing director than Malick.  To all who see his movies they’re labeled as either ‘brilliant’ or ‘boring’ (I fall into the former).  Some call his movies ’slow, others ‘deliberately paced’.  But most can agree that no one captures images quite as beautifully or as well-composed as Terrence Malick.

While details are scarce on the film, it seems to be a departure from the normal Malick fare in that there may be some fantasy elements involved.  The story surrounds a man’s (Brad Pitt) journey through life as he makes mistakes and tries to find redemption.  As normal as that may seem, people from the FX team have discussed prehistoric landscapes that have been designed for the film.  Additionally, the tree (a massive, real-life, oak that was transplanted to a field in Texas for the shoot) is said to have magical properties of its own.

While his style is definitely not intended for a wide audience, those of us that are fans will have this one right at the top of our lists.  The man has made some of the most brilliant films and each new one is a very welcome addition to our future DVD and Blu-Ray libraries.

Monopoly Gets A Plot

Posted by sean in Latest News, Movies on November 13th, 2009

…and it’s not all about rolling dice. Well, not exactly. The LA Times had some intriguing plot details to reveal Wednesday, and I guarantee, Monopoly will not be what you were expecting.

Frank Beddor, best known as the producer of There’s Something About Mary, came up with the story that’s currently being turned into a movie at Warner – and the one that got Ridley Scott involved to direct the film. So after striking critical and box office gold with Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator, what could get the acclaimed filmmaker to join up with Rich Uncle Pennybags?

As it turns out, alternate dimensions and a little bit of metanarrative.

Beddor’s story, which will be written into a full screenplay by Pamela Pettler (Monster House, Corpse Bride), follows a “lovable loser” who is a failure at his job as a real estate trader, but excels at the useless, board game version – Monopoly. He tries to get some friends to help him break the world record for longest Monopoly game – over 70 days – but shortly after the game begins, they mock him mercilessly and leave him still holding a chance card. He’s a little disappointed he didn’t get to use it, and drops it on the floor before going to bed.

You see where this is going? I bet you’re starting to.

The next day, our hero wakes up, and the card is in his hand – hmm, that’s strange – and he goes to the store to get some coffee. He’s mortified to find he only has monopoly money in his pocket – but that’s okay, because the store accepts Monopoly money! He rushes outside to find he’s in Monopoly City, a strange alternate world that plays by the rules of the board game. From there, he’ll have to fight the evil Parker Brothers, as he moves around in this strange world and encounters all the “iconic imageries” of Monopoly – a sports car, a horseman, a Scottish terrier – hey, maybe we’ll even see a giant thimble in there somewhere.

Beddor says that Uncle Pennybags would also make an appearance, in a series of cameos. “You’re going to see him as the maitre d’ at the restaurant and he’s the buggy driver and the local eccentric and the doorman at the opera. There’s all these sight gags.”

Unfortunately, “sight gags” make up pretty much all I can see this concept delivering. Even with Ridley Scott involved, it’s a plot that clearly lends itself best to, as the Times points out, an effects-driven comedy like The Mask, Bedtime Stories, or Night At The Museum. I’d probably rather just play a game of Monopoly – at least then you get the fun of overturning the board when the game starts to suck.

Warner Bros’ Sgt. Rock To Fight In The Future

Posted by sean in Latest News, Movies on November 11th, 2009

Warner Bros. seem to finally be moving forward with their big-screen adaptation of DC Comics World War II hero Sgt. Rock. Way forward. Like, into the future.

The project, which has been in the works for the last 20 years, has hit a number of production snags along the way. Many of these, more recently, have been related to big budgets and a general lack of interest in WWII period pieces. Enthusiasm for American war movies has dropped off considerably in the years following 9/11, to the point that it seems like only Saving Private Ryan-esque, serious meditations on the topic of war (or Quentin Tarantino) can succeed. This has led to the studio’s recent decision to abandon the ’40s setting altogether and move the character to the battlefields of the future.

It’s unclear whether this latest iteration will actually happen, but currently Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Constantine) is attached to direct a script written by Chad St. John, a relative unknown. Joe Silver, who has been trying to bring the war hero to the screen for decades now, is producing along with I Am Legend collaborator Akiva Goldsman.

If this does happen, I’m not sure how to feel about it. I’m too young (and too Marvel-centric) to have any major connection to the character, but if you’re going to make a movie about a jingoistic American WWII hero, except without the Jingoism and the WWII, why even bother keeping the Sgt. Rock name? Certainly, if the setting is that different, it’ll have to change the character, maybe enough to lose the interest of the comic’s original fans. Still, while I Am Legend and Constantine aren’t perfect films, they were fairly well-directed, and they look great. If this bizarre tale of future past is gonna come to screen, Lawrence is a guy I’d trust to do it.

That said, you don’t see Marvel studios pushing their Captain America adaptation into a future setting. Why? Well, I suppose it would screw over the whole Avengers tie-in. But also: it just doesn’t really make sense.

Kind of like this.

Titans Will Clash!

Posted by Barrett in Latest News, Movies on November 10th, 2009

Warner Bros. has released the first teaser trailer for Clash of the Titans!

Let me tell you, if I wasn’t excited before, I most certainly am now.  I mean with Sam Worthington playing Perseus and Liam Neeson playing Zeus himself, what else could we ask for from a remake of the 1981 epic portrayal of the ancient Greek’s mythology.

We heard some details a few weeks back but I hardly expected this. The world is grittier, the scorpions are bigger, the medusa is scarier, the battles are epic-ier, Perseus is badass-ier, and the Titans are Titan-ier! Watch the trailer below and be amazed and in anticipation for the movie’s release next year.  Titans will clash!!!

Creepy Casting

Posted by dominie in Movies on April 30th, 2009

IESB reports that Peter Stormare (The Killing Room, The Horsemen) and Kurt Angle (TNA wrestler  and 1996 Olympic gold medalist) have been cast in Kevin Munroe’s upcoming Dead of Night. Both actors will portray werewolves: Stormare will play Gabriel while Angle will play Wolfgang. Production is currently underway in New Orleans; release date still to be announced.
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Danny Huston (30 Days of Night) has been cast in Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ production of Clash of the Titans. According to Bloody Disgusting via Hollywood Reporter Variety, Huston is set to play Poseidon opposite Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. Shooting began Monday just outside of London with Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk) at the helm.

Huston will be joining Izabella Miko, Sam Worthington, Mads Mikkelsen, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng and Alexa Davalos.
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In more casting updates, Dread Central has learned that Lee Perkins is the latest to join Gregory Lamberson’s forthcoming Slime City Massacre, the sequel to his 1988 cult classic Slime City. In the sequel, Perkins will play one of four squatters trying to survive in New York City after a terrorist attack brings down the financial system. They discover a supply of strange wine in the ruins of a soup kitchen which turns them into hideous slime creatures driven to murderous acts.

Debbie Rochon, horror author Kealan Patrick Burke, and newcomer Jennifer Bihl comprise the remaining members of the squatters. Robert Sabin and Mary Bogle of the original film will be returning and Brooke Lewis will be featured in several flashbacks in the film. The greedy developer will be played by Roy Frumkes (Street Trash). Filming begins this July in Buaffalo.

Creepy Casting: Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures Load Up

Posted by dominie in Movies on April 1st, 2009

First off, Will Arnett (TV’s Arrested Development) and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, Bug) have been cast in DC Comics’ forthcoming Jonah Hex remake from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. They will be joining companies John Malkovich, Josh Brolin and Megan Fox.

According to THR, Arnett will play a Union soldier who enlists Hex (Brolin) and is blindsided by the dirty fighting style of his enemies. And Shannon will play Doc Cross Williams, the bizarre ringleader of a brutal gladiator circus event.

Filming is due to begin this month in Louisiana with Jimmy Hayward at the helm.
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In related news, THR reports that Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ production of the new Clash of the Titans remake is also casting up. Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale), Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace) and Alexa Davalos (The Mist) have joined Sam Worthington in the Louis Teterrier directed Greek epic.

As previously announced, Sam Worthington is toplining as Perseus. He will be put on a quest to save a princess and defeat Hades, the god of hell, while Mikkelsen will play Draco, a skilled fighter and leader of the Praetorian Guard that accompanies him on the quest. Davalos will take on the role of Andromeda, the captured princess, and Arterton is Io, who is instrumental in bringing the winged horse Pegasus to Perseus.

Character Posters Debut for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Posted by dominie in Movies on March 27th, 2009

Character posters continue to be the craze for Hollywood’s big budget films. And Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be no exception. We have six new posters for the sixth entry into the franchise. The folks over at Latino Review pointed us in the direction of MSN, and we’ve compiled them below for your easy viewing.

The posters feature one each of Dumbledore, Snape, Ron Weasley, Hermoine, Draco Malfoy, and of course Harry Potter himself.

And as much as we hate cutting around the edges in going book to movie, its better to know what to expect in my opinion. A second time, here’s the official 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 jealousy 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.

Originally schedule for release in November of last year, the film now is due out July 17, 2009! I cannot wait.

Where the Wild Things Are Amazing Poster

Posted by dominie in Movies on March 18th, 2009

The first poster for Where the Wild Things Are have hit the net! And what an amazing looking one at that. Makes me want to go dig up my old Maurice Sendak childhood book.

Brought to you by the guys at Spike Jonze Fan Blog who discovered the poster on Nick Magazine, we can now all start of the day with a big scream for joy. I cannot wait for its release. Where the Wild Things Are has been slated for only months away, on October 16, 2009 from Warner Bros.!

The story is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world–a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler.

The filmmakers opted for real Things suits, no full CGI! The term over-hyping is not applicable in this case. Stay tuned for an upcoming trailer attached to Monsters vs. Aliens in just a few weeks!

Lost Boys 3 Goes Directly to DVD

Posted by dominie in Movies on March 18th, 2009

The Lost Boys 3 has made it to the three-quel stage. Dare I say, luckily Warner Bros. is picking up their pace? The second installment hit stands over a decade after its predecessor! Now Evan Charnov (Fearless) has been hired to write the screenplay for the franchise’s third installment and Warner Bros. plans to distribute the film via their direct-to-DVD route. Read below for the details from /Film whose nicely compiled the news from various sources and find out which of your favorite stars are returning!

“BloodyDisgusting has learned that Fearless scribe Evan Charnov is writing the screenplay for Warner Direct’s direct-to-dvd threequel, The Lost Boys 3. Corey Feldman has signed on to return to reprise his role as Edgar Frog, vampire hunter. Moviehole is reporting that Jamison Newlander has signed on to reprise his role as Alan Frog from the original 1987 film. Newlander filmed a sequence for the 2008 direct-to-dvd sequel, but his scene ended up on the cutting room floor. Lost Boys 2: The Tribe ended with a set-up teasing a possible battle between Edgar Frog and Sam Emerson (Corey Haim), but as of fight now, Haim isn’t expected to return for the third film.”