Movie-Addicted Writers Unite!

I have something awesome planned for you today! But first, thanks to everyone for your awesome comments regarding my next book. I was really overwhelmed!

Now I know you often wonder “Why does this writer blather on about movies all the time?” There is a connection! And to prove it, I have invited the awesome Melissa Bradley from Melissa’s Imaginarium to share her thoughts on the matter. Get ‘em, Melissa!

Books and Their Movie Counterparts: The Good, The Bad and The What Have They Done

Books and movies are two of my favorite things. I became a writer partly because of films that inspired me. They are integral part of our culture and let’s face it, when they do bring a novel to the big screen, it makes the writer me go “Yes!” There are some really great films born of novels. The Godfather, Gone With The Wind, To Kill A Mockingbird, Precious and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

On the other hand, there are instances of books into film that give me nightmares. These are the films that seem to have taken the novel source material, chucked it and merely used the name. They leave you scratching your head and wanting your money back. The director maniacally twists and turns the plot and the characters in his own image until it is almost unrecognizable from the book. Random Hearts comes to mind. They eliminated half the plot, changed the careers of the two leads and altered the very incident that brought them together. I wonder why they even bothered saying it was based on the novel? Legal action probably. And with novels from long dead authors it’s even worse. The last incarnation of Pride and Prejudice replaced Mr. Darcy with Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights and turned Elizabeth into a raging brat while giving her dialogue from other characters. I sat through both of these films going “What have they done?”

I tell you, sometimes what Hollywood does to a novel is beyond me. And it goes beyond the film treatment, it even permeates the very promotion of the movie itself. Remember back in the 90’s when Wynona Ryder and Susan Sarandon starred in Little Women? Some marketing genius got it into their head that Louisa May Alcott’s novel wasn’t good enough. So on book shelves everywhere appeared Little Women, the novelization of the screenplay based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott. WTF? Are you kidding me? They apparently thought that reading the actual novel would either not be cool or that we were too dumb to read the original.

As a writer and fan of movies, I dream of having my novel someday turned into a screenplay, but some of this stuff gives me nightmares. I can imagine them taking my werewolf and turning her into a vampire then making her a man.

Thanks, Melissa! (And crap, wouldn't that be scary?) Check out her really cool site, Melissa’s Imaginarium.

Now, who’s ready for a movie?

Marvellous Movie Time!!

The blogging world is full of cool people. Now and then, you happen upon someone with whom you really connect. George (Nebular) is one of those people. He runs an awesome blog called CineMarvellous! where he offers sharp, concise movie reviews. George lives in Europe, so I doubt we’ll ever meet in person. But if we did, we’d talk movies for hours, because we share the same taste in films.

I asked George to share a bit about himself, his former Rotten Tomatoes journal, and how he came to us here in the blogging world…

Hey there, Alex’s army!


When Alex asked me to do this self-introduction I was as thrilled as I was anxious, because I’ve never done anything like this before. At first I was like – OMG, so many people will read this! Am I interesting enough not to bore them all to death?! J But then I thought – What the hell, I’m doing it. It will be fun!


First things first, my name is George, and I’m a cinephile coming from a small country in south-eastern Europe. Being obsessed with movies since young age, and working as a video store manager for a long time, movies have always been a huge part of my life. I’ve been writing reviews since 2004, and though I’m just a regular guy who has huge passion for film and cinema in general, I’ve always wanted to be a professional critic.


So, it all began 7 years ago, when I came across the Rotten Tomatoes site by a lucky accident. My first reaction was WOW! I found all this fresh/rotten thing to be pretty cool, and I was so impressed by its editors’ creativity and imaginativeness, that I’ve started to visit the site regularly, spending hours a day on reading critics reviews and stuff. Soon after, I became a part of the RT community, and started my own RT journal called “A Journal Made of Bricks” /because of the bricky pattern I used as a background/. I knew it sounds ridiculous, but at the same time, I kinda liked because it was unusual and unique.


Sadly though, my English was pretty poor at that time, and my reviews were extremely short and mostly consisted of simple, lame sentences like “The cast was great.”; “The visuals were amazing.”; “The story sucks” and things like that - there was nothing insightful, or original, or even remotely witty about those reviews. LOL. However, after a year of regular writing, my English has improved vastly, and I got better and better at reviewing movies. I’ve posted every single day, made hundreds of new friends, got thousands of visitors, and as a result of all this, my journal became hugely popular - I was in a complete shock when I found out that it has reached No. 12 on RT’s ‘TOP 25 Most-Visited Journals Ever’ list, and remained there for a long time. My journal even appeared on the main page of RT for about a week /I’ve got a screenshot to prove it ;)/.


However, in 2008 the guys from RT screwed up pretty much everything, by changing completely the interface design of the web site, which made it unusable for most users, plus, it was full of annoying bugs. A year later, I said goodbye to Rotten Tomatoes, and joined Blogger. In August 2009, I ran a movie blog, called CineMarvellous! (Check it out, and I hope you guys like it). It covers all the genres of film, from martial arts and horror movies to art-house drama, animations and recent sci-fi blockbusters. In the beginning, I’ve started with more detailed movie reviews, but last year I’ve changed the course and began to write brief and to-the-point reviews, because of my busyness, and because I realized that almost nobody likes to read long and tiresome movie reviews. I bet you don’t either. J So far, my blog has been visited over 63,000 times by more than 11,000 unique visitors from 135 different countries. I’m truly grateful to Blogger for giving me the opportunity to write and post reviews for free, and to all my blog buddies, readers and visitors, who make blogging worth it.


Besides RT and Blogger, I’ve done some writing for a local lifestyle magazine called “My Life”. Last year, they’ve contacted me and asked me to do an article for their St. Valentine’s issue – a list that features the ten greatest love stories in history of cinema. To be honest, I’ve struggled a bit with it, simply because romantic movies have never been my cup of tea, /I’m more into horror, sci-fi, fantasy and martial arts/, but I decided to do it nevertheless. The editor in chief loved it, and that’s how I got published for the very first time. J Furthermore, I’ve done some paid reviews, and won several awards, including 2010 TOP MOVIE REVIEW BLOG, which I consider a great achievement.

Thanks for sharing, George!

Now, my awesome army – go visit CineMarvellous! and see how a pro really reviews movies.

And my wife and I are taking off for a few days, so everyone have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

April Movies!

We’ve got movie sign!
All plot descriptions courtesy of the IMDB

1 -

Source Code
Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
The Plot: An experimental government program sends soldier Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) back in time, where he wakes up in the body of a commuter who witnesses a train bombing. Presented with just 8 minutes to figure out who is responsible, his mission is further complicated by his feelings for a fellow passenger (Monaghan).
Looks interesting…

Hop
Director: Tim Hill
Stars: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Elizabeth Perkins
The Plot: A slacker (Marsden) who accidentally hits the Easter Bunny (Brand) with his car is forced to care for his victim, who turns out to be the world's worst houseguest
Something about this movie seems odd, but not sure what.



5 -

DVD - Tron: Legacy - boxed set is MINE!


8 -

Hanna
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana
The Plot: A 16-year-old (Ronan) who was raised by her father (Bana) is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent (Blanchett) and her operatives.
Looks gritty and intense.

Your Highness
Director: David Gordon Green
Stars: Danny McBride, Zooey Deschanel, James Franco
The Plot: A fantasy-comedy about an arrogant, lazy prince (McBride) who must complete a quest in order to save his father's kingdom.
Potentially stupid, but we’ll see.



DVD - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - buying this one as well.


15 -

Rio
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez
The Plot: When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams.
Another fun animated flick.



DVD - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - like I need to tell you this!


19 -

DVD - The King’s Speech - still want to see this movie!


22 -

Apollo 18
Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego
Stars: Unknown
The Plot: Decades-old found footage from an abandoned NASA mission to the moon reveals the existence of alien life.
Sources say this movie is being rushed. Notice the lack of a cast? Not a good sign!



29 -

Fast Five
Director: Justin Lin
Stars: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson
The Plot: A federal agent (Johnson) is dispatched to Rio de Janeiro, where former cop Brian O'Conner (Walker) an ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) are assembling a final race as a desperate chance to gain their freedom.
I confess – I dig these films!

Any look good to you?

Movie Review and Play-by-Play

For those of you who remember my Play-by-Play of Sharktopus, you are in for a treat!

We were unfortunate enough to have TWO Battle: LA movies this past weekend. I’m such a trooper, I decided to invest time into both flicks.

Battle: Los Angeles - in theaters now

Critics came down hard on this film and I’m not sure why. It’s not ID4, but it was worth the price of a movie ticket. It follows a platoon of marines during an alien invasion as they try to rescue civilians caught behind enemy lines in LA. It’s not terribly original, but the special effects and storyline are good. The action is rapid fire, gritty, and realistic. However, this is nearly its downfall, as there are few breathing moments, and filmed in shaky-cam, it’s exhausting. One aspect I particularly enjoyed was its respect for our servicemen and women. They are portrayed as smart. well-trained, heroic people who will die to defend our country. It won’t stay with you for long, but it’s far better than Skyline, and certainly better than this next film…

Battle of Los Angeles



A SyFy original! You know what that means – it’s time for a play-by-play:


9:01 Yes folks, that’s none other than 80’s star, Nia Peeples!

9:03 No character development or anything - LA is immediately attacked by a Juice Master. I wonder if that’s a hint for me to go make a mixed drink.

9:04 I think the F-16 pilot is talking to OnStar

9:08 Apparently the military base outside of LA is in worse shape than a third world country.

9:11 Could they have at least cleared the weeds and slapped on a coat of paint? At this point, they’re not even trying…

9:13 Apparently our military consists of eight guys. And the actors are creating their own sound effects.

9:14 It’s an alien invasion AND a time travel film. Two craptastic movies in one.

9:20 Someone references not being caught with their pants down. If only this WERE a porn film…

9:30 Apparently LA consists of seven houses in the desert. Who knew?

9:35 Is that an alien or a Hoover upright?

9:41 It’s painfully obvious the SyFy channel hates us.

9:43 Special effects courtesy of Atari Defender. (The original of course.)

9:49 Nia Peeples – Space Ninja.

That’s all I can take! Captain Ninja Alex must now become the night and make all of those responsible for this travesty suffer. Or at least apologize profusely…

Movies, Fests, and Stuff!

Thanks everyone for your awesome comments on Jeffrey’s guest post Monday! And thank you to Geof at The Man Cave for hosting me as well.

A couple movies for you…

Vanishing on 7th Street
Caught this on HDNet last week. It had some tense moments and an interesting premise but with no place to go. “Stay in the light” reminded me of Pitch Black. It could’ve (and should’ve) been so much more and I was a little frustrated in the end. The idea of a force so strong it can control the sun just made the plight of the characters seem hopeless. It wasn’t if they would vanish, it was when. Worth a watch, but Anderson’s Session 9 (filmed in a real abandoned insane asylum) is a far better film.

The A-Team
NetFlix rental. It’s preposterous, silly, over-the-top, ridiculous, noisy – and those are its good points! Let’s face it – if you went in expecting realistic action and drama, you chose the wrong movie. This movie is all about fun over-the-top action, a nonsensical plot, and the interaction of its four leads. And that’s where the movie really shines, as the four actors eat up the campy one-liners and buddy-buddy dialogue. A fun film and if the actors are willing, there will be a sequel.

Blogfests!

A to Z Challenge! You know I have to mention that one. We’re closing in on 300 participants.

Larry at DiscConnected is hosting the Super 8 Debut Albums Blogfest on February 28. I’ve signed up, so join the fun!

Hart at Confessions of a Watery Tart is hosting the Delusional Doom Blogfest! And you know Hart doesn’t do anything halfway. Not even naked.


Any other cool events? Movies? Nakedness?

Good vs. Evil. And Bad Movies!

First, a quick movie update.

I didn’t post last weekend because Season of the Witch received such abysmal reviews I decided to skip it. Green Hornet is faring better, but haven’t decided if I’ll see it yet. The lure of $30 for tickets, popcorn and drinks isn’t that strong. Maybe I’ll just take my wife to dinner instead.

Someone recently commented that he’s never seen a bad review here. True, I don’t write many. For one thing, I am very selective on which movies I see in the theater, so it’s not often I catch a dud. It does happen though! And if you don’t believe me, check out my reviews of Clash of the Titans and Legend of the Guardians.

I take more chances with NetFlix though. So, if I don’t catch Green Hornet this weekend, I have three mini movie reviews in the wing – all of which I’m glad I saved my money!

And if you want a really bad review, check out my play-by-play of Sharktopus! I need to do that again soon. I’m sure the SyFy Channel will oblige me with another bad movie…

Now, on to Good vs. Evil!

Today is another edition of Fantastic Friday Writers! I invite your to check out my Fantastic Friday Writers partners - Elizabeth Mueller, Anastasia V. Pergakis, J. D. Brown, and Deirdra Eden Coppel - for their take on this subject. I’m sure it’s better than mine!

Good vs. evil is a standard story formula. Sometimes it’s subjective, depending on the point of view and amount of grey area. Rather than attempt to define good vs. evil, I’ll just tell you what I prefer in a story.

Good must triumph over evil.

Now there’s some great stories that don’t end that way, but I like to see good come out on top. I like to see the good guys win! Feels hollow if evil wins. After investing time in book or movie, I feel cheated when evil triumphs. (Unless the good guys really suck, then I hope for their demise!)

Everyone has his or her own tastes. For me, good must prevail.

What about you?

November Movie Lineup!

Who's ready for a movie?!?

5th-

Megamind
Director: Tom McGrath
Stars: Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt
The Plot: Megamind (Ferrell) is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known, though after several unsuccessful attempts to conquer Metro City, a new foe sees him attempt -- for the first time in his life -- to use his powers for good.
Could be good, could really suck!

Due Date
Director: Todd Phillips
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan
The Plot: High-strung father-to-be Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) on a road trip in order to make it to his child's birth on time.
Robert Downey Jr. makes this one a possibility…

12th-

Skyline
Director: Colin Strause Greg Strause
Stars: Eric Balfour, Donald Faison, Scottie Thompson
The Plot: A group of friends fight to survive as a mysterious light source causes people to vanish into the air.
Have you seen the latest trailer? I am so there!!

Unstoppable
Director: Tony Scott
Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
The Plot: A rail company frantically works to prevent an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train carrying combustible liquids and poisonous gas from wiping out a city.
Based on a real incident which only lasted an hour, involved no dangerous materials, and didn’t destroy cars or maim a soul. LOOSELY based I guess!

19th-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Director: David Yates
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint
The Plot: Harry (Radcliffe), Hermione (Watson), and Ron (Grint) set out from Hogwarts to find and destroy the Horcruxes -- the secret to Voldemort's power and immortality.
Why two parts? More money!!! Bloodsuckers. I’ll probably still see it…

26th-

Tangled
Director: Nathan Greno Byron Howard
Stars: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi
The Plot: Rapunzel (voice of Moore), a princess with 70 feet of magical, golden hair, has been locked away for years in a tower high above her kingdom. Desperate to be free, she strikes a deal with Flynn Rider (voice of Levi), a handsome bandit who chooses her tower as a hide-out spot.
Looks fun and funny! Yeah, I'm a sucker...

Faster
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Maggie Grace
The Plot: An ex-con (Johnson) sets out to avenge his brother's death after they were double-crossed during a heist years ago. During his campaign, however, he's tracked by a veteran cop (Thornton) and an egocentric hit man.
For those who don’t want to go sit with the masses seeing Tangled - dumb, mindless violence!

What are you eager to see?

September Movies and Centurion Review

A new month approaches and so does a slew of new movies...

September 3-

MACHETE
Director: Ethan Maniquis Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro
The Plot: After being betrayed by the organization who hired him, an ex-Federale (Trejo) launches a brutal rampage of revenge against the people who double-crossed him.
This was one of the spoof trailers for Grindhouse – and now it’s an actual, honest-to-God movie! Cheesy, over-the-top fun – I am so there!

THE AMERICAN
Director: Anton Corbijn
Stars: George Clooney, Paolo Bonacelli, Violante Placido
The Plot: An assassin hiding out in an Italian village while he anticipates his last-ever assignment tempts fate by seeking out the friendship of a priest (Bonacelli) as well as the affection of a local woman (Placido).
I’ll either do a double feature or catch this one on NetFlix.


September 10-

RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Stars: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Wentworth Miller
The Plot: As the T-Virus continues to spread, Alice (Jovovich) maintains her mission to find survivors and keep them safe from the Undead, and to take down the Umbrella Corporation. Reteaming with Claire (Larter), Alice makes a dangerous journey to a new city that is said to be a safe haven: Los Angeles.
I doubt I’ll venture to the theater for this one, even though it's 3S, but will definitely watch on NetFlix.

September 17-

ALPHA AND OMEGA
Director: Anthony Bell Ben Gluck
Stars: Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Justin Long
The Plot: After being relocated to Idaho by park rangers, a female and a male wolf face a dangerous trip across unfamiliar territory in their attempt to find their way home to Canada.
Another computer animated flick – which doens't guarantee quality, so not sure about this one yet.

September 24-

LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham
The Plot: Soren is a young Barn Owl who lives in the peaceful forest of Tyto. Kidnapped and brought to the foreboding St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls, Soren must face certain challenges -- including taking his first-ever flight -- on a dangerous adventure that leads to the mythical Great Ga'Hoole Tree, where he and his friends Gylfie, Twilight, and Digge look to fight a great evil in their world.
The animation looks incredible! HOLLYWOOD SPY has posted numerous trailers, so check it out.

???-

SUCK
Director: Rob Stefaniuk
Not sure when this one will hit theaters or DVD – it’s hit most of the independent film festivals. But it stars Malcolm McDowell, Dave Foley, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Moby, AND Alex Lifeson of Rush!! According to the IMDB, it’s “A comedy centered on a rock 'n' roll band that will do anything to become famous.” The previews bring to mind the likes of The Lost Boys and Fright Night – just good vampire fun. View the trailer HERE


REVIEW – CENTURION

Directed by Neil Marshall, starring Michael Fassbender
I was fortunate that this was a free view on HDNet last Wednesday night, so I got to see it two days before its USA release.
Centurion is exactly what I expected. It’s not a grand epic nor does it break any new ground. However, it does contain some amazing scenery and cinematography, very bloody battles, and an interesting storyline. The story follows Centurion Quintus Dias (played by Fassbender) – his brigade is slaughtered by the Picts, and he escapes capture and joins with General Titus Flavius Virilus (played by the always cool Dominic West) and the 9Th legion. When the general’s troops are ambushed, Dias must lead the seven survivors back home.
The Scottish landscape is incredible! It’s as much a character in the story as are the actors. Everything feels very realistic – the Picts are not supernatural, just people defending their land. And in the middle of bloody war was an aspect I was not expecting… Can’t tell you or I’d spoil the movie!
If you’re into medieval battles and suspense, this movie is for you! Again, nothing that will knock your socks off, but it’s an enjoyable movie.

Enjoy your popcorn!

Quiet Movies

A guest post by Elizabeth at Mystery Writing is Murder earlier this week discussed "Quiet Books," and she mentioned her daughter enjoying The Secret Garden. (I haven't read the book, but I have seen the movie - of course!)

Her post got me to thinking about quiet movies. Yes, I do enjoy big action flicks, but now and then, I like a movie with a slower pace. My definition of a 'quiet movie' is one where the characters emote well and it's more about what's going on under the surface. So, I have selected a few 'quiet movies' that I really enjoyed.

.

Nobody's Fool

This movie is well acted and contains some sharp writing. Paul Newman gives a stellar performance.

No Country For Old Men

Literally a quiet movie - almost no soundtrack at all! Tons of tension contained in just expressions and glances with minimal words.

The Illusionist

Incredible performance by Edward Norton - he steals every scene. The movie is understated and yet ripe with tension, and it's a great love story.

The Outlaw Josey Wales

.

There are moments of violence, but far more scenes of quiet introspection and portrayal of real life. An honest film about the South, Indians, and the end of the Civil War.

* * *

What are some of YOUR favorite 'quiet movies?'

August Movie Preview

August is usually a little sparse when it comes to quality theater releases, so I’ve included a couple DVD releases as well. As always, don’t forget the popcorn!

Aug. 3 - DVD - Kick-Ass

It didn’t intrigue me enough to visit the theater, but I’ll check it out on NetFlix.

.

Aug. 6 – The Other Guys

Director: Adam McKay
Stars: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg
Two mismatched New York City detectives (Ferrell and Wahlberg) seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops whom they idolize -- only things don't quite go as planned.

Not sure on this one yet...

Aug. 10 - DVD - Date Night

I’m a big fan of Steve Carell (especially The Office) and Tiny Fey (from 30 Rock) so this is in my NetFlix queue right now.

.

Aug. 13 - The Expendables

Director: Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis
A team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator.

Has potential!

Aug. 27 - Centurion

Director: Neil Marshall
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko
After the Roman Ninth Legion is attacked by the Picts -- Celtic tribesmen who serve as some of the Roman Empire's toughest opposition -- a band of soldiers who survived the brutal massacre try to make their way back across enemy lines.

Okay, this movie excites me! In a violent, bloody, action sort of way.

.

Any good movies on your radar for August?

July Movie Preview

And now to wrap up our week of movies!

JULY 2

The Last Airbender

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone
The Plot: Aang (Ringer), a young successor to a long line of Avatars, learns that he possesses the power to engage the Fire Nation and hopefully end their century-long war against the Water, Earth, and Air nations.

This goes up against the new Twilight movie, which might seem like suicide. However, all the girls will flock to Twilight while The Last Airbender will attract the boys - and anyone else who doesn’t like sparkly vampires.

JULY 9

Despicable Me

Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Stars: Steve Carell
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: A trio of orphan girls cause the normally deplorable Gru to rethink his plan to steal the moon.

The trailers for this one intrigued me from day one – it looks funny, quirky, and unusual.

Predators

Director: Nimród Antal
Stars: Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace
The Plot: A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race.

After seeing a short ‘making-of’ clip and considering the quality of actors on board, I think this might be a fun return to the flavor of the original Predator.

JULY 14

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Director: Jon Turteltaub
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Monica Bellucci, Alfred Molina
The Plot: Master sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Cage) recruits a seemingly everyday guy (Baruchel) in his mission to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Molina).

While Cage’s presence worries me, the director is good, and the trailer is damn cool. And after How to Train Your Dragon, it will be interesting to watch the real actor behind Hiccup’s voice.

JULY 16

Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a thief who specializes in the art of extraction, the stealing of secrets from a target's subconscious. Though his profession cost him everything he has ever loved and has turned him into a fugitive, an offer for a final job -- one that requires him to plant an idea instead of pilfering it -- could be his chance at redemption.

THIS is the movie event of the summer!! Nolan is one of the most stylish and atmospheric directors in the industry and his track record is perfect. Tell me you haven’t watched these surreal trailers with eager anticipation!?

* * * *

Thanks again to all who participated in The Movie Dirty Dozen Blogfest and thanks to the Hollywood Spy for visiting this week.

Next week, I will talk about more than just movies, I promise!

June Movie Preview

You know me and movies!!

Here's the rundown of some noteworthy films this month.

Information courtesy of IMDB


June 4 -

Splice

Director: Vincenzo Natali

Stars: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine

Two scientists fuse DNA samples to create a new organism: a human-chimera they name Dren. As the creature rapidly develops from a deformed female infant into winged creature, her initial bond with her creators turns deadly
THE BUZZ: From our Sundance 2010 blog: This sci-fi/thriller benefits from commitment of two strong actors, Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The mix of body horror and fantasy is overseen by executive producer Guillermo del Toro, and Dren, the creature created and nurtured by a pair of bio-chemists, is a definite homage to Pan's Labyrinth.

I'm seeing this movie TODAY and will post my review very soon. I am stoked to see this film.


June 11-

The A-Team

Director: Joe Carnahan

Stars: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley The
A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

Okay, I'm a big fan of the original A-Team - so I will probably NOT catch this one in the theater.
.

Maybe NetFlix.

Just not the same without George Peppard...



June 18 -

Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Woody (Hanks), Buzz (Allen), and the rest of their toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college.

It's Toy Story! Need I say more...?


Jonah Hex

Director: Jimmy Hayward

Stars: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich

The U.S. military gives bounty hunter Jonah Hex (Brolin) and offer he cannot refuse: in exchange for his freedom from the warrants on his head, he's to take down a terrorist (Malkovich) who is gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell on Earth.

This movie really intrigues me. I'll probably do a double feature that weekend.


July 2 -

The Last Airbender

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Stars: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone

Aang (Ringer), a young successor to a long line of Avatars, learns that he possesses the power to engage the Fire Nation and hopefully end their century-long war against the Water, Earth, and Air nations.

THE BUZZ: Regardless of the range of opinions on (1) M. Night Shyamalan's career trajectory and (2) the project's "racebending" controversy, TLAs trailers contain some of the best money shots of the year thus far

M. Night Shyamalan. I'm not holding my breath on this one. But the previews look so damn cool!

Speaking of movies - don't forget to sign up for The Movie Dirty Dozen Blogfest!

And thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday's post about my book! I'm still floating...