MSN Movies Blog

FEATURED POST

Studio hires 'Trance' screenwriter to pen upcoming flick

By Corwin Neuse Mar 12, 2013 9:58AM
There was a time—a mercilessly brief, sadly fleeting moment in time—when the success of 2010's "Alice in Wonderland" seemed like a flash in the pan. It's hard now, after the success of copycat projects like last year's "Snow White and the Huntsman" and last weekend's "Oz the Great and Powerful," to remember when, exactly, that time was, but no matter. Now it seems as though the effects of "Alice and Wonderland" will go on forever, as the "darkly re-imagined fairy tale" has all but become a genre unto itself.

Who would have though that, of the early 3D mega-successes, it would be "Wonderland" that would have the more lasting impact, not "Avatar?" It's been over three years, yet no convincing "Avatar" clones have really had any success. Can anyone name even one? Is that because James Cameron is a more inimitable filmmaker than Tim Burton? Hard to believe.

Anyway, we digress. The latest in the "darkly re-imagined fairy tale" sub-genre will evidently be "Beauty and the Beast," as evinced by this Deadline article enumerating the desperate lengths Disney is going to in order to get the project rapidly underway. The studio has reportedly hired Joe Ahearne, screenwriter of Danny Boyle's upcoming "Trance," to craft the script. The project is tentatively titled "The Beast," and, should it ultimately get made, will probably make a bajillion dollars. More details as they become available...
 

But she will appear in the third film

By Kate Erbland 30 minutes ago
On the heels of news that Sony has already started lining up third and fourth films for their recently resurrected "Amazing Spider-Man" franchise comes word that one of the the second film's promised stars, Shailene Woodley, will not appear in the newest release, despite her somewhat contentious casting. (We, however, love Woodley and think she's great for the film.) 


This news is upsetting for a number of reasons - but mainly because Woodley has already filmed a number of scenes for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which means that the film's script is also getting a big overhaul in the middle of very well-documented filming. Oops! (Check out the set picture above, featuring an apparent meeting between Woodley and Emma Stone.)

Oh, and also? She's playing no less than Mary Jane Watson. You've probably heard of her. And you were probably anticipating seeing her on screen next summer. Too bad.


The news comes to us from Entertainment Weekly, thanks to a tip to ComingSoon that alerted them to this little tidbit in an interview with Woodley in their latest issue: "Of course I'm bummed...But I'm a firm believer in everything happening for a specific reason...based on the proposed plot, I completely understand holding off on introducing (Mary Jane) until the next film." We're bummed, too, Shai.

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will open on May 2, 2014.

Want more Movies? Be sure to like MSN Movies Facebook and follow MSN Movies Twitter.

 

Here's to you, Leonardo DiCaprio

By Kate Erbland 50 minutes ago
It's come to my attention that, despite its internet debut earlier this week, The Hitlist has yet to feature the trailer for Martin Scorsese's upcoming "The Wolf of Wall Street." This is a tremendous mistake that I will rectify right now, simply because the first trailer for the Leonardo DiCaprio-starring true life tale is easily the best trailer of the year. It has everything.

Bing: More on 'The Wolf of Wall Street'

Well, "everything" meaning break dancing, Wall Street, lobster-throwing (and juice-throwing) tremendously bad behavior, midget-throwing, bad suits, Matthew McConaughey chest-beating, a monkey, Jonah Hill looking perma-worried, and even a soundtrack by Kanye West (which is typically a trailer turn-off, but one that works undeniably well here). This is basically a trailer made by Stefon of "Saturday Night Live" fame, a kitchen sink affair where every frame is more insane than the last, but one that manages to be eye-poppingly entertaining.

If the final product is half as bizarre and attention-grabbing than this trailer, we're all in for a big treat.

Oh, also? It really is based on a true story. DiCaprio plays former Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who helped pen the script as adapted from his book of the same name, a whiz kid of the nineties who is credited with helping create the "Boiler Room" style of stock trading. A millionaire, a genius, an asshole, a partier of the highest degree, Belfort was a "rock star" of the biz before anyone besides actual rock stars was termed as such. Yes, he eventually went to jail. Of course he did. But let's watch him get there, why don't we?


Raise a glass to Leo and his break dancing skills with the first trailer for "The Wolf of Wall Street," after the break.
 

Joe Dante's werewolf movie gets the special edition treatment

By SeanAx 1 hour ago

The same year that "An American Werewolf in London" opened up the possibilities of the werewolf horror with a mix of black comedy and horrific transformations, Joe Dante went a different direction with "The Howling" (Shout Factory). Working on lower budget, Dante discarded the usual lone wolf route to frame the drama in terms of the wolf pack. His wolves weren't mad dogs on the rampage, but a primal force balancing survival with primal urges.

 

Dee Wallace, just a year before making "E.T.," stars as an investigative TV reporter recovering from a brush with a serial killer in a retreat called "The Colony," a mix of new age commune, primal therapy, and red meat culture. It also happens to be the hub of a werewolf pack that quickly adds her husband (Christopher Stone) to their ranks, transforming the easy-going vegetarian into an aggressive, meat-eating hunter in the process.

 

It's more clever than compelling, to be fair, an interesting take with inventive effects (thanks to Rob Bottin), impressive moments of horror, an undercurrent of dark humor, and an earthy, feral sensibility. John Sayles (who previously wrote "Piranha" for Dante) came with Dante from the Corman movie factory and contributes a clever script (adapted from a novel by Gary Brandner) with some character nice touches in the supporting roles (many of them played by his B-movie heroes and genre character actors, from Kevin McCarthy and John Carradine to Roger Corman and Forrest J. Ackerman) and a modicum of wit in the dialogue.

 

It's a real film buff feast but Dante also uses the opportunity to stretch himself.


Continue reading at Videodrone


For more releases, see Hot Tips and Top Picks: DVDs, Blu-rays and streaming video for week of June 18

 

Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton star in this thrilling story of survival

By MSN Movies 3 hours ago

Years ago, winter came and never went away.  Beneath the surface of an ice-covered world, survivors in Colony Seven struggle to keep their fragile society from collapsing as food dwindles and temperatures drop.  Already plagued by illness and internal conflict, the colonists suspect the worst when they lose contact with the only other known settlement.  A small group decide to go on a dangerous expedition to discover what happened and what they find is worse than they could have ever imagined.  Now the fight for survival really begins.

 

Bing: More on Laurence Fishburne

 

See more exclusive photos from "The Colony" opening in theaters August 23 after the break.

 

But nobody has any idea why

By Corwin Neuse 14 hours ago
Here's some sad and/or indifferent news. According to Coming Soon, Robert Rodriguez's upcoming "Sin City" has been delayed from this fall until August of next year. Why? Well, probably because the movie's not finished yet, but maybe the glut of superhero movies this year also had something to do with it?


When (if?) "Sin City 2" finally comes out, fans will be able to catch up on the adventures of Dwight (?) or whomever. Stars Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis, and Rosario Dawson will return, along with Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, and Ray Liota. So at least the sequel's got all that going for it. Thing is, the world at large wasn't exactly clamoring for a "Sin City" sequel as it was; this delay could, potentially, snuff out any remaining interest in the franchise.

For more movie news, follow MSN Movies on Facebook and Twitter.

 

And...it's not heinously awful!

By Corwin Neuse 14 hours ago
When we first heard that they were making a "Lego" movie, we thought that it was some sort (very) poorly timed April Fool's joke. And/or a "Producers"-like scheme to bilk money out of unsuspecting investors, since a "Lego" movie is too obviously preposterous to actually be real. But lo, today brings us the film's first trailer, courtesy of ENTV. And—unlike certain other franchises based upon cheap plastic children's playthings, we're looking at you, "Transformers"—at least this one has a sense of humor.


Not to mention a killer voice cast. The film will star Chris Pratt as the mysterious MasterBuilder, who has to save the world from an evil genius who intends to glue everything together, or something. Also featured in the cast? Morgan Freeman, apparently, plus Will Arnett as Batman (!), Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, and Liam Neeson. And we have no idea which one of them will be voicing the Ninja Turtles. Intrigued yet?

Check out the trailer, posted after the break, then let us know what you think in the comments, or tell us on MSN Movies Facebook and Twitter.
 

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels still attached to long-awaited sequel

By Corwin Neuse 14 hours ago
According to Deadline, that long-awaited "Dumb and Dumber" sequel—recently put into turn-around by original studio Warner Brothers—has found a new home at Universal. Production is expected to proceed quickly, as stars Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey have other undoubtedly less-important but unfortunately unavoidable projects looming on their schedules. Like HBO's "The Newsroom" and some stupid bank heist movie with Owen Wilson.

Bing: 'Dumb and Dumber To' | Jeff Daniels

Of course, auteurs Peter and Bobby Farrelly will be back in their original capacities as well, directing from a script they rewrote. No word as yet as to who else might be co-starring in the comedy, or what the plot might be, outside of that it'll once again find Harry and Lloyd taking to the road. And will presumably involve peeing, farting, pooping, and other various bodily functions and/or annoying sounds.

For more movie news, follow MSN Movies on Facebook and Twitter.

 

An eerie American thriller from the Korean director of 'Oldboy'

By SeanAx 23 hours ago

"Stoker" (Fox) - Hollywood is always drafting new talent from abroad, especially from thriving cinema cultures. From Mexico, we received an injection of new blood thanks to Guillermo Del Toro, Alfonso Cauron, and Alejandro González Iñárritu. Back in the nineties, it was the Hong Kong action stars on both sides of the camera, from Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-fat to John Woo and Corey Yuen.

 

For the past few years, South Korea has been leading the Asian wave of hit action movies, horror films, and thrillers and Hollywood has once again taken notice. 2013 marks the respective American debuts of three top South Korean directors: Kim Jee-woon ("The Good, the Bad, the Weird," "I Saw the Devil"), who made the Arnold Schwarzenegger come-back film "The Last Stand" (released earlier this year on disc and reviewed here); Bong Joon-ho ("The Host"), whose end-of-the-world thriller "Snowpiercer" is due for release later this year; and Park Chan-wook ("Oldboy," "Thirst"), director of "Stoker," a film that doesn't fit within the usual genre parameters.


I like to think of "Stoker" as a vampire movie without a vampire. At least not in the mythic sense of the term. Mia Wasikowska is dreamy and uneasy as India Stoker, a teenage girl who is preternaturally attuned to the world and disconnected from the kids around her. Matthew Goode is creepily calm and seductive as the uncle she never even knew existed until he arrives for a funeral and stays on in the family manor (he is her Uncle Charlie, in fact, an offhanded reference to Hitchcock's take on another dark uncle-niece relationship). Nicole Kidman is dizzy and disconnected as her weak and ineffectual mother. She seems to want to be there for her daughter, but she hardly seems present in the world at all.


Continue reading at Videodrone


 
showtimes & tickets
Search by location, title, or genre: