"G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" Poster

Leave it to the Dutch to get their movie news way ahead of us. The Netherlands-based movie website www.film1.nl got the scoop on a brand new "G.I. Joe" poster that reportedly appeared on a billboard at the Cinema Expo in Amsterdam yesterday. Take a look:

As you can see, the poster features Channing Tatum ("Stop-Loss") as Duke in Stephen Sommers' "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra". As Slashfilm points out, this is the first time we've seen the subtitle "Rise of Cobra". Whether that's merely an international title or one that will carry over to the States is yet to be seen.

Cine G.I. Joe GI Joe Rise of Cobra Channing Tatum Duke Stephen Sommers Movie poster Upcoming movies

Cine G.I. Joe GI Joe Rise of Cobra Channing Tatum Duke Stephen Sommers Movie poster Upcoming movies

6th Dark Knight TV Spot

We have a 6th Dark Knight TV spot to show those of you that are interested. We get the hookup thanks to the good people over at You Tube:

The more of this film I see, the better Heath Ledger looks in the role of the Joker. I was a person that was skeptical at his inclusion when I first heard wind of his casting. From what I have seen thus far, it looks like he will prove my initial assumptions to be very, very wrong. The Joker is as iconic as a super villain gets, and it looks like Ledger has nailed it.

Cine Batman The Joker Heath Ledger Dark Knight TV spot movies DC comics

Cine Batman The Joker Heath Ledger Dark Knight TV spot movies DC comics

Five Minutes Of "Batman: Gotham Knight"

Sure it’s not five minutes of “The Dark Knight” but this is pretty cool nonetheless. Set between the events of “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”, “Gotham Knight” is an anthology of six animated tales starring everyone’s favorite caped crusader. This stuff is dark and violent which is just how we like our Batman stories. And of course it’s got a slew of top notch animators and writers behind it (including “Batman Begins” co-writer David Goyer). The full movie is out on DVD on July 8th but here’s a hefty five minute chunk to whet your appetite.

What do you think? Does this rival Nolan’s vision? What’s your favorite animated incarnation of the Dark Knight?

The Day The Earth Stood Still Poster

We have scored the first poster for The Day The Earth Stood Still thanks to our friends over at moviesonline:

I am not looking forward to this film, I think the original should be left well enough alone. I do however, like this poster. Humanity is confronted with a revelation that demands their attention and the shadows of the throngs form the black background for the title of the film.

This is a great image for the film and the artist responsible should be pleased with their work.

DC Comics’ Hollywood Crisis: A Small Advice

As the home of such icons as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, you’d think DC Comics would rule the superhero universe. But no. In fact, rival Marvel Comics is kicking DC’s butt. How can this be?

Movies are where the real superhero action is these days, and Marvel, having scored major hits with the current “Iron Man” and “Hulk” films (and with “Thor”, “Captain America” and the all-star team-up “Avengers” already in the pipeline), is cleaning up at the box office. Meanwhile, DC and its corporate parent, Warner Bros., haven’t quite exploited their own stable of stars — not just Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, but also the Justice League of which all three of those characters are a part, along with Flash and Green Lantern. Turning these revered comics properties into money-minting movie franchises should have been a no-brainer. If the process has been mishandled, DC’s numbers are down, and fanboys are in revolt, what can be done about it? Plenty.

– Observe Neil Gaiman’s “Law of Superhero Movies,” which is that “the closer the film is to the look and feel of what people like about the comic, the more successful it is.” This, Gaiman says, is “something that Warners tends singularly to miss, and Marvel tends singularly to get right.” Warners may prove Gaiman wrong here with the forthcoming “Watchmen.”

– Get a lock on the League. Despite earlier reports, a studio rep told MTV News this one is now a “go.” Don’t let tax-incentive issues in Australia derail the potential “Justice League” franchise, just find another place to shoot the movie. And if there are problems with keeping some of the cast because of the delay, look for new actors who can play superheroes in and out of the League.

– Flesh out the other fellas. David Goyer already has a script done for “Green Arrow,” and that can set the stage for some “League”-like villains if you plan ahead. Then there’s “Shazam,” an unmade movie that already got a star and a director (the Rock and Peter Segal, both coming off of “Get Smart”). Get this picture going.

– Respect your holy trinity. Why, oh, why did Joel Silver not find a way to keep Joss Whedon when he was aboard for “Wonder Woman”? There are very few people who can write both movies and comics, and Whedon is one of them. Plus, he has a knack for connecting with both fanboys and fangirls at the same time. If an in-the-works replacement script by Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland (version two) doesn’t measure up, it would be worth the groveling to get Whedon back. In the meantime, either start shooting “Superman 2,” or, if you feel like Brandon Routh was miscast, go back and try something that’s more of an origin story a la “Batman Begins.” After all, if Marvel can get away with rebooting “The Hulk”…

– Speaking of worship, get “Preacher” back on the schedule. At different points, this Garth Ennis series was supposed to be either a film or an HBO miniseries, and Cameron Diaz was interested in playing Tulip. But WB waited too long and lost its option on the property, so producer Neal Moritz is now quietly shopping it around to studios once more. Get. It. Back. And then do something with it.

– Sign up Shia LeBeouf. He’s reportedly interested in playing Yorick in a movie version of “Y: The Last Man,” as well as Sexton in “Death: The High Cost of Living.” Both of these prospective films have scripts and directors are in place, but both are languishing because of New Line’s implosion. Neither are superhero stories, but both are smart, funny, wouldn’t cost much to shoot, and have built-in cult appeal for both genders — how often do you get that with comics? “Death” could be next year’s “Juno.”

– Consider “Fables.” You want some name recognition? How about Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood…in all-new, super-hip versions? In the ongoing DC/Vertigo series by Bill Willingham, these magical characters live among us — in fact, they live in New York City. Goldilocks is a demented terrorist. Cinderella is a secret agent. Prince Charming is a seductive mayor who’s in over his head. The acclaimed “Fables” has “franchise” written all over it — which one character, Jack Horner, exploits to blockbuster levels in his own series-within-a-series. Consider the possibilities.

The Love Guru Review

Thanks for checking out our The Love Guru Review. We unfortunately don’t have a video version of The Love Guru review, but we will discuss it in an upcoming podcast.

For all intents and purposes, we haven’t seen Mike Myers in anything non-Shrek related in over 5 years which has always been confusing and frustrating to me. Right up front I’ll let you know that I simply LOVE Mike Myers. Most people associate his with his Austin Powers films (and why not? Combined the 3 Austin Powers movies have cost just under $110 million to produce and have made over $660 million world wide), but for me, his best film (and one that I think is one of the best comedies ever, and certainly one of the most under appreciated) will always be “So I married an Axe Murderer”. But really, his whole career for the past decade seems to be nothing more than Austin Powers and Shrek.

When I first heard about The Love Guru and Mike Myers returning to lead in a comedy, I thought it sounded just hilarious and I was excited. Then the trailers came out… and without a doubt the film looked like the worst film Myers has ever been involved in, and one of the worst films of the year. As the release date got closer and closer, the new trailers only made that sick feeling in my stomach even stronger. So off I went to see The Love Guru… was it as awful at is looked? Actually no… but still not good.

THE GENERAL IDEA

The synopsis for The Love Guru looks something like this: “Austin Powers trilogy star Mike Myers collaborates with writer Graham Gordy for this comedy concerning a self-help guru named Pitka (Myers), who devotes his life to unknotting the romantic entanglements of troubled couples. As a young child, Pitka is abandoned at the gates of an ashram in India and taken in by kindly gurus. An American by birth, Pitka absorbs the lessons taught to him by his teachers and later returns to the United States to become a leading authority on spirituality and self-help. While Pitka’s methods are decidedly unorthodox, they may be the only means of ensuring that the Toronto Maple Leafs win the coveted Stanley Cup. The Maple Leaf’s star Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) is in trouble. His estranged wife has recently begun dating L.A. Kings star Jacques Grande (Justin Timberlake) in a vengeful effort to send her husband’s career into a tailspin, and when Roanoke starts to falter on the ice, the whole team starts to suffer. As their visions of leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup are quickly going up in flames, team owner Jane Bullard (Jessica Alba) and Coach Cherkov (Verne Troyer) enlist the aid of the world’s best-known relationship expert in restoring the peace between Roanoke and his wife, and getting their team back on the track to the championships.”

THE GOOD

Ok, I admit that I’m biased because I’m a die hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan to the point that I bleed Blue and White… and Mike Myers is also a fanatic Leafs fan… so seeing a movie with the Toronto Maple Leafs making a run for the Stanley Cup (something that I’ll probably never see actually happen in real life in my lifetime) was a real kick for me. Yay! Go Leafs Go!

Stephen Colbert’s small role as a Hockey Night In Canada commentator was quite good. Sure, it’s the type of role we see in tons of sports movies (best of all of them was probably Bob Uecker in the Major League movies… damn he was hilarious in those), and even Mike Myers himself did the same sort of thing in Mystery Alaska). Colbert is just a funny funny man.

I gotta give this up to The Love Guru… it was funnier than I thought it would be. Now keep in mind, that’s not hard considering I didn’t suspect that I’d laugh at all. The movie isn’t hilarious… but there were a few decent laugh moments that hit the mark and had me giggling. Having said that….

THE BAD

Not enough laughs. Yes it was funnier than I thought it would be, but even that wasn’t nearly enough. So many of the jokes were just old recycled Austin Powers gags that much of the film just felt sad and desperate instead of fresh and funny (almost none of this movie felt fresh). They even brought mini-me back (played by Verne Troyer, who was actually funnier than Myers in this movie) to re-do a lot of the Austin Powers jokes. Like I said, more sad than anything else.

Dear sweet heavens Justin Timberlake was AWFUL. How hard is it just to play a simple little silly farce character? Well… I guess the answer is harder than Timberlake can handle, because he SUCKED in this flick. I thought he’s actually be “ok” in this movie because his role required absolutely no talent, and when we’ve seen him doing just brainless sketch comedy on Saturday Night Live, he’s been not bad… but wow he totally crapped the bed. Just dreadful. He made the movie look and feel like a second rate high school drama class comedy skit.

Really… what can I say about Jessica Alba and her ineptness that I haven’t said before. She was awful. Having said that, I will admit she looked really good when they did some musical numbers and she was dressed up in traditional India female garb and was dancing around. Very cute actually. Still, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… the only movies Jessica Alba should be headlining are ones that end in the words “… Does Dallas”.

This kills me to say… it hurts me deep… but Myers just didn’t bring it, plain and simple. As I mentioned earlier, the humor didn’t feel new or original or fresh at all. He felt… well… old. it was all just recycled, it was all done before by him. The Guru Pitka is really just Austin Powers in a beard. We all knew it was going to be ridiculous, we all knew there was going to be silliness… but to wait so many years to get Myers on screen again leading a comedy only to have him deliver nothing by Austin Powers 2.0 was a seriously let down. Yes, Myers had his moments in the movie, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

OVERALL

Not the totally pile of trash that I was expecting it to be, The Love Guru did deliver a few laughs scattered throughout the film, but ultimately it wasn’t nearly enough… and where “Get Smart” had lots of solid supporting elements, The Love Guru had nothing but garbage around the comedy. Horrible supporting cast, terrible execution, old tired and “done before” feeling humor. It was NOT the Myers return we had been hoping for. Not a total train wreck of a movie, but a wreck nonetheless. Overall I give The Love Guru a 3 out of 10.

Spider-Man 4 in May 2011

Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin told theater owners on Thursday that Spider-Man 4 is tentatively being scheduled for a May 2011 release.

She also confirmed that screenwriter James Vanderbilt has yet to turn in a final screenplay, but she insisted that Sony Pictures is very hopeful that they will be on track for 2011.

Director Sam Raimi has yet to commit to the project, and told press earlier this month that he is "excited to read" the screenplay, and is "hoping it's as great as our discussions were about it and hoping it feels right". No stars are signed on to the project, however Sony has publicly insisted that they want to bring Tobey Maguire back for the fourth film. I still wonder if the script and money will be enough to bring the original team back to the fold. JK Simmons has said that the studio has recently checked in with his agents to say they want him back for a sequel, and he’s ready to return if Raimi is still involved.

source: LATimes

Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins Teaser Trailer Description

Ladies and gentlemen, buckle yourselves in as we journey into a teaser trailer description. Just minutes ago, AICN confirmed a spy’s legit rundown of the Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins teaser that will be attached to The Dark Knight next month.

We are divided in our anticipation for this one, but I’ll admit that the focus on Christian Bale, his fittingly epic, doomsayer voice-over and the Terminator appearance sound quite agreeable, and more importantly, faithful to canon. Here’s the capper…

“We then get the big money shot of the trailer. Its Bale on a motorcycle with some girl on the back. They speed through a door of what looks like a warehouse toward us. As soon as they pass the screen, a huge terminator on wheels, a lot like the one they battle in the first one, smashes through the wall, chasing them. It looks awesome.”

According to the spy, Bale’s John Connor looks very similar in build and general appearance to his Bruce Wayne, possibly with noticeable battle scares and combat wear-and-tear. So, yeah, he looks like Christian Bale. The teaser reportedly has glimpses of several survivor camps, a war chest of firearms, quick shots of a helicopter, a “huge truck” and notably the foreboding Terminator theme is present throughout. Again, Connor’s voice-over sounds particularly spot-on: “I always knew it could happen…They told me I could stop it…That I could save us…I was wrong.”

Sure, it’s not much, but we’ve all seen enough of blockbuster previews to develop a pseudo Spidey-sense. Hopefully it impresses on screen. If so, it will be a suitably dark and enticing primer for Nolan’s Batman sequel, the movie that looks to rule Summer ‘08, and a solid preamble for a risky new PG-13 Terminator trilogy from the director of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.

Discuss: Sound good to you?

Megan Fox says Transformers 2 “Ten Times as Big”; Julie White Returns

A couple new Transformers 2 updates. First up, Megan Fox tells MTV that Transformers sequel will be ten times bigger and talks about the rewrites created by the writers strike.

"As big as the first movie was, this is 10 times as big, 10 times as many set pieces, explosions, and acrobatic stunts," Fox told MTV. "You know, we've been having script meetings, and we've been reworking the script, because they wrote it fast because of the writer's strike. And, we've just been going through and trying to do some character stuff for Shia and myself in the middle of this crazy world that they're in. I can tell you that we're on locations in some really exotic places. It's just going to be a badass movie. It's just going to be a popcorn-visual-spectacle, summer film."

I'm sure the 10 times as big is only slightly exaggerated. The first film cost an estimated $150 million, and if Fox's claims were literally true, the sequel would cost $1.5 billion. But speaking of exotic locations… [location spoiler warning]

The Philadelphia City Hall has been transformed into a Cafe in France. The scene apparently involves Sam's parents Ron and Judy Witwicky (played by Kevin Dunn and Julie White) as they are on vacation in Paris. This is actually the first confirmation of White's return. The Philly Chit Chat Blog was able to get a few shots of the set. The signs read “Ecole Militaire”, which is a station of the Paris Métro.

The Happening isn´t that bad overseas

Ok, ‘The Happening’ is a terrible movie, but taking the number one spot overseas is quite an accomplishment. M. Night Shyamalan’s movie made $32.1 million at 5,714 screens in 88 territories. That’s about $5,600 per screen. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ came in second, but managed to make almost $10,000 per screen at 38 markets.


The $32.1 million comes after Shyamalan’s awful box office result of ‘Lady in the Water’ in 2006. The fantasy only made $30 million overseas during its lifetime. It’s clear Fox’ aggressive marketing campaign paid off. The trailer with falling bodies gave people high hopes for his new thriller. It’s too bad this is one of those ‘the best is in the trailer’ movies and most will leave disappointed.

Europe was leading the ticket sales for ‘The Happening.’ France grossed a good $4.6 million, followed by Spain with $3.8 million. The U.K. brought in $3.4 million and several other countries ended the weekend with around $2 million.

‘The Incredible Hulk’ impressed U.K. viewers with $6.3 mill last weekend. It was the number one movie in most of its markets with another $4.6 mill in Mexico, $3.7 mill in Russia and $3.3 mill in South Korea.

‘Sex and the City’ is now showing at 5,597 screens and picked up another $23.3 million overseas. It opened in the small Netherlands with an impressive $1.2 million. The romantic comedy now stands at $136 million overseas, of which $40.5 million came from the U.K. The girls passed $250 million worldwide.

As last week, ‘Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull’ couldn’t beat ‘Sex’ overseas. While Spielberg’s action movie is topping the chick flick in the US, it slowed down overseas to just $18.5 million. But as it already grossed $357.5 mill overseas, Spielberg won’t be too disappointed. The total includes $69.7 million from the U.K. and $33.7 million in France, where it premiered.

‘Kung Fu Panda,’ which is still only showing in 15 markets, made another $14 million. As a hit in Russia with $5.3 million, the animation now has an overseas total of $41.5 million.

‘The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian’ still has to release in about a dozen European countries because of the European Soccer Championship, but it picked up another $11.2 million for an overseas total of $123 million. The worldwide total now stands at $255 million, which won’t make it profitable if you add the marketing costs to the $200 million budget.

Cine The Happening Night Shyamalan movie box office movie trailer Kung Fu Panda Prince Caspian Sex and the City Hulk Spielberg

Cine The Happening Night Shyamalan movie box office movie trailer Kung Fu Panda Prince Caspian Sex and the City Hulk Spielberg

Marvel Logo Line-Up: Iron Man 2, Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America, The Avengers

Nikki Finke reports that Marvel has offered Fav a new deal to direct Iron Man 2, with a requisite “insider” telling her, “What, do people think Marvel is stupid?” Well insider, I guess it’s good that Fav didn’t have to utilize Twitter, Plurk and Facebook to get a new deal, if true.

One has to wonder what is running through Jon Favreau’s mind when a logo and bold release date position Iron Man 2 as first in line, while Marvel continues to leave him hanging blankly on MySpace.

As for the other films? While the logo for 2010’s Thor is from the comics, it’s rather cheesy in my opinion, conjuring 1988’s Gor and/or a wrestler who ties vibrant streamers around his arms. A notch below on the meh meter is the logo for The First Avenger: Captain America, which is a mouthful no matter what and is sans patriotic stripes. And then there’s the logo for the studio’s ultra-burrito, The Avengers, which also remains faithful to the comics and my personal fave of the ones here, alongside Iron Man 1 & 2. Unsurprisingly, the company’s Ant-Man and Runaways are absent here, as is Lionsgate’s Punisher: War Zone, which opens this fall and continues to have underdog status on the Nets, and next summer’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine from Fox.

Anyone have a cell phone grab of a DC Comics rep studying this at the expo?

Don Cheadle's "Traitor" Poster and Trailer Online

Coming August 27th, 2008, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce headline "Traitor," an espionage thriller from writer-director Jeffrey Nachmanoff and idea man Steve Martin (yes, that one). Here's the brand new poster (courtesy of Cinematical):

Looks like a fairly conventional poster complete with the requisite digital world clocks at the top to symbolize that time is running out (and EVERYWHERE at that), and a confused-looking Jeff Daniels in the lower left-hand corner.

There's a trailer on the official movie site that's worth a look as well, though good luck not laughing. There's some good action, but the dialogue and dramatic personal scenes could use some work. Said Taghmaoui is playing a violent Middle Eastern extremist again (see also: "Vantage Point", "Three Kings") and he even makes a heavy-handed chess analogy when he just so happens to be playing chess. Golly, it's lucky they had that conversation just then.

What's more, there's something to be said for a film in which the main character actually says the movie's tagline. "The Truth is Complicated"? C'mon, marketing. Think that one over another week.

"Changeling" to be Released October 24th

"Changeling," Clint Eastwood's period drama starring Angelina Jolie will start its limited theatrical run on October 24th, 2008, before platforming to a wider release the following weekend.

According to Variety, the film played at Cannes under its French name, "The Exchange," but the title will remain the same domestically.

J. Michael Straczynski wrote the screenplay based on a true event that took place during the 1920s. A woman's son disappeared, only to have the police bring her another boy some months later. Though the woman insisted that the new boy was not her son, the police and others refused to believe her. John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, and Michael Kelly also star.

Superhero Movies We Don’t Want To See

Some superhero concept movies that I personally don’t think would be very popular with the fans.

This one seems frightening believable since Burton doesn’t seem to know how to make a film without Depp

I actually wouldn’t mind seeing a Robin movie… just not this one

You know… I may not mind this one too much

There are actually a bunch more of these over at Cracked. You can check them out here.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen Title Explained?

Plenty of speculation about the title to Transformers 2:The Revenge of the Fallen and its meaning. Well it appears a pretty solid theory has surfaced about the meaning.

IGN.com says:

The site points out this entry on the Fallen, which reminds us that “the robot who would become the Fallen betrayed his creator by siding with Primus’s dark twin, the malevolent planet-eater, Unicron. In the final battle between Primus and Unicron, the Fallen fell victim to the same fate as his master, sucked through a black hole into another dimension. However, while Unicron emerged into another universe, the Fallen was not so fortunate, finding himself trapped in the ‘underspace’ between dimensions.”

I like that they are paying tribute to this little known ancient character from the G1 universe which clearly inspired the current movie incarnations.

According to the Transformers Wiki The Fallen was a servant of Unicron, which (if acurate) implies that they will talk about Unicron in the movie Universe. Involving some Unicron mythos might involve the theorized return of Megatron as Galvatron, an unwilling servant of Unicron - as illustrated in the Animated Movie.

So being that this is a movie adaptation they don’t strictly have to stay with the Fallen mythos. Perhaps Megatron returns as an amalgamation of this Fallen? The Fallen was shunted to some sub-parallel Universe, and perhaps through Megatron’s rebirth he is possessed by this ancient spark?

Maybe Megatron is going to be one of the original 12? Perhaps he IS the Fallen and in his rebirth becomes the dark loyal servant of Unicron.

And as suggested in previous comments, Unicron will then appear in the movie as a storm cloud.

So what do you think about digging up this ancient history of the Transformers Universe as the basis of the sequel’s plot?

Is Megatron the Fallen? Or are we about to meet a new threat?

Hayden Christensen Talking About Jumper Sequel

Hayden Christensen was recently dishing about the Jumper sequel with The Winnipeg Sun. We get the following scoop from our friends at the moviehole:

“We’re talking about it,” the 27-year-old Canadian actor says, adding that he’d definitely be on board. “I know that they’re having those conversations, I hear about them". “It was set up to become that — a trilogy — if it did well,” says Christiansen. “And I think they’re happy with how it did so they want to make another one. But I don’t think they’re rushing to get into production.”

The first film was so blatantly set up for a sequel that the story suffered for it. Jumper had a lot of stuff to like, but it kept killing itself with lame scenes and an annoying love interest. I certainly think a sequel will happen, but after the first - I am not that interested in checking it out.

If however, they are able to learn from the mistakes of the first film and bring us a kick ass action film, I may change my tune, and eat my words.

Posters: The Happening in Mexico

Three new international posters for M Night Shyamalan's The Happening have hit the web. Click the above image to enlarge. The first shows what's happening in Mexico City, the second in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and third in Monterrey, Nuevo León Mexico

via: movieland

Jetfire in Transformers 2

Topherlyon over at the Transformers Live Action Blog was able to snap a few photos while visiting the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, including this photo of Jetfire.

As we told you last week, production of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen has moved on to the space center for a scene which takes place about an hour into the film. The scene involves Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), Sam's college roommate/friend Leo (Ramon Rodriguez), and Sector 7 Agent Simmons (John Turturro) breaking into the museum after hours. They find a SR-71 Blackbird, which turns out to be Jetfire, an autobot who had an early alliance with the Decepticons. Head on over to the TLAMB for more photos including a photo of Michael Bay's private plane which actually sports an Autobot logo on the side of the tail.

Kung Fu Panda Review

Thanks for checking out our Kung Fu Panda review. I still remember way back in 2005 when I first heard about Kung Fu Panda I thought it was a pathetic idea. My thoughts had to do with 2 things… the concept and using Jack Black. Both I thought were terrible ideas that seemed to me to lend themselves to yet another cookie cutter, annoying, cheap and witless animated film (non-pixar) that would just rely on fart jokes, burp jokes, fart jokes and basically any simple little thing it takes to amuse 10 year old kids (which is just about anything) without bother to put any quality story telling or themes or idea into it. Just have Jack Black talk in outrageous tones, flash some pretty colors and have Po (that’s the name of the Panda) fart.

Yes, I thought I could already see the entire movie playing itself out in my head just from hearing the concept alone. So off I went to see Kung Fu Panda the other day. Was I correct in my first impressions? Actually… no I wasn’t. It’s actually not a bad film at all.

THE GENERAL IDEA

The synopsis for Kung Fu Panda looks something like this: “A clumsy panda bear becomes an unlikely kung fu hero when a treacherous enemy spreads chaos throughout the countryside in this animated martial arts adventure featuring the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan. On the surface, Po (voice of Black) may look like just another portly panda bear, but beneath his fur he bears the mark of the chosen one. By day, Po works faithfully in his family’s noodle shop, but by night he dreams of becoming a true master of the martial arts. Now an ancient prophecy has come to pass, and Po realizes that he is the only one who can save his people from certain destruction. With time running short and malevolent snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane ) closing in, Furious Five legends Tigress (Jolie), Crane (David Cross ), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Chan), and their wise sensei, Master Shifu (Hoffman), all draw on their vast knowledge of fighting skills in order to transform a lumbering panda bear into a lethal fighting machine. Now, if the noble Po can master the martial arts and somehow transform his greatest weaknesses into his greatest strengths, he will fulfill his destiny as the hero who saved his people during their darkest hour.”

THE GOOD

“The most important element” in any film will vary according to its genre. For a film like Kung Fu Panda clearly the most important element it needed to pull off was comedy. If a film like this one doesn’t make you laugh… then there isn’t much left to fall back on. Thankfully the movie succeeds quite well on this level. I can’t recall any more than 1 hard belly laugh (usually a decent comedy needs much more than that), but it felt like it at least always had me smiling or giggling through the run time. Almost none of the joke were home runs… but then did all work. The end result was I found myself entertained almost all the way through.

Coming up with a good villain in a kids film is no easy task. The character has to be menacing, but at the same time you can’t give kids nightmarish visions and make them crap themselves. I mean come on… it’s Kung Fu Panda… you can’t exactly have Violator (from the Spawn comics) showing up can causing kids across the nation to spontaneously crap themselves in their theater seats… then requiring therapy for the next 3 years to make the nightmares go away! It is a fine and delicate balance… and the villain in Kung Fu Panda, Tai Lung, was PERFECT. He was certainly menacing… but at the same time easy enough for the kids to handle without needing pampers. I think the presence of such a villain really helped the film work.

Doing good action in an animated film is also no easy task. I mean, it’s easy enough to DO… just not so easy to do WELL. However, Kung Fu Panda and the folks at Dreamworks really did pull of some BEAUTIFUL animation with complex yet extremely smooth kung fu fighting that was a treat to watch. It was also a lot of fun seeing how each character had a totally different fighting style in keeping with which animal they were. I mean come on… how on earth do you animate a snake doing Kung Fu and have it look cool? Well… they found a way!

THE BAD

There isn’t a lot to complain about in this movie, but I will raise a couple of issues. First of all, some of the voice casting felt completely wrong. I worship the ground Dustin Hoffman walks on… but him as the voice of the sage Chinese Kung Fu master that trains the furious 5 and Po??? It just didn’t fit. Seth Rogen as one of the furious 5? I hope I’m not just being picky… but whenever these guys spoke (especially Rogen) it just kinda pulled me out of the movie. It was just really conspicuous.

I would have liked to have seen more about the furious 5 characters (the tiger, crane, monkey, viper and the mantis. I think Jackie Chan had like 2 lines… but I mean more in the sense of seeing even just a 2 minute segment of where they each came from and how they ended up at the temple in the first place. Not a major complaint… but it did keep popping into my head as I was watching it.

OVERALL

Contrary to my initial impressions, Kung Fu Panda ends up being a funny (not outright hilarious), exciting, well animated and beautiful to look at movie that both kids and yes, even adults will enjoy. Some poor voice casting and a few character left without being fleshed out much didn’t become major distractions to enjoying the movie. Could have taken or left Jack Black as the lead voice… but he didn’t detract from the film in anyway. It’s no Pixar film… but very good nonetheless. Overall I give Kung Fu Panda a 7.5 out of 10.

You Might See Captain America in The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk is filled with homages to the original comic and television series. For instance, Lou Ferrigno, who played the character in the television show, lends his voice to the big green comic book hero. And with Iron Man there was a cameo appearance by Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. And we know that Tony Stark himself (Robert Downey Jr) makes an appearance in Hulk, But the big question is, does Captain America show up in The Incredible Hulk?

"As a filmmaker and as a fan, I like to go see movies and watch them several times, … and every time I see it, discover little things in the background," director Louis Leterrier told G4. "Did you know that in Iron Man, Captain America's shield can be found somewhere? Well in Hulk you might see Captain America Himself!"

Could Captain America actually make an appearance in The Incredible Hulk? We know that the blue super serum that will be (or was) used to create Captain America makes an appearance in the film, but the Captain himself? That's what Leterrier said, right? The “Captain Himself”! I've talked to a few people who have seen the film, and no one has spotted the red white and blue superhero, which means one of two things:

Captain's appearance, like his Shield in Iron Man, might be something in the background of one shot, so hard to spot that if you blink, you'll surely miss it (and even if you don't blink, you still might miss it).

OR

The piece of footage might have not been included in the advance screenings. As you might remember, the Nick Fury footage was intentionally left out of all advance screenings of Iron Man, including the film's premiere, to preserve the surprise for opening day.Watch the video interview after the jump, and tell me what you think in the comments below!

photo source: colorbyemi

Top 100 Movie Posters

A great movie poster is a hard thing to find. Most posters are cut and paste jobs that don't sell the movie very well at all. A great poster should intrigue, shock, inspire & excite. It should be aesthetically beautiful or original. Above all, it should be so memorable that a single glance will be instantly recognizable.

I will be adding to this list all the time, old posters and new... But only the best movie posters of all time! I will also update the rankings every few months, as readers send in suggestions.

Post a comment with your personal choices. Your suggestion may just make the list!

To get things started, ranked in order from 1 to 100, here are the best ever examples of cinema poster art.

#1	#2	#3
The Sin of Nora Moran	American Beauty	Pulp Fiction
If I had to pick one poster as the greatest of all time, it would have to be this gorgeous "Varga Girl" image from an obscure 1934 film. This is a perfect example of poster art.	Perhaps the simplest and best poster of the past decade, this delicate image combines innuendo and beauty -- "Look Closer" is also one of the best taglines ever.	Perhaps this could be considered the best poster of all time. The classic film noir femme fatale image. The 10¢ label adds a great touch. The bold colors. Perfect!
#4	#5	#6
The Gold Rush	Die Another Day	Lord of War
Gorgeously rendered, this 1925 Chaplin image is instantly recognizable. There aren't too many posters one would rather have as wall art.	This is one of the coolest teaser images ever. The red hot smoking barrel of James Bond's gun melting the ice. Superb shot!	It may be hard to see in this smaller version, but the bullets that make up the image of Nic Cage are a sublime touch. This is a very inventive design.
#7	#8	#9
Secretary	Jaws	Straw Dogs
One of the best teaser posters of all time, this image smacks of kinky office sex. This is one spectacularly sexy pose.	This may be the most famous poster of all time... and it isn't even a shot from the film itself. This hand-drawn design is simply brilliant.	The shattered glasses. The emotionless stare. This image really conveys the psychological trauma of the film's most infamous scenes.
#10	#11	#12
Hard Candy	The Cooler	Casablanca
The inherent tension in this image makes the film a must see! The reference to Little Red Riding Hood in the clutches of sharp teeth makes this poster jump off the page.	It is quite amazing that neon hadn't been used more often in movie posters over the years. Look how magnificently the image pops!	How can this poster not be included on any list like this? The tantalizing red font splashed across the black and white image of Rick, Ilsa and the legendary supporting cast.
#13	#14	#15
Lost in Translation	Shawshank Redemption	Romance & Cigarettes
Does it get any more bedraggled than that? The iconic image of Bill Murray's hotel room ennui makes this a poster gem.	The iconic image of Tim Robbins after emerging from his cell, coupled with one of the greatest taglines ever, makes this a perfect movie poster.	Kate Winslet makes any poster more beautiful, and this image is about as sexy as you will ever see. I also love the way the font is written, almost like it was scribbled in lipstick.
#16	#17	#18
Reservoir Dogs	Metropolis	Irreversible
There are dozens of Reservoir Dogs poster out there. However, this one stands out because it combines the classic black and white shot with the blood red exterior.	The gold poster with its sharp angles and ominous sense of impending doom makes this a classic pick. A cornerstone of cinema, this film deserves such a distinctive design.	The reversal of the letters combined with the haunting image of Monica Bellucci alone in the dark makes this a very disturbing poster.
#19	#20	#21
The Seven Year Itch	Chinatown	Rear Window
Maybe the most infamous image in pop-culture history is the one of Marilyn Monroe's dress blown by the subway vent.	The vivid colors make this poster such a classic. It is beautifully designed. Frame this and hang it in a museum.	I love the red brick color and the cinema screen shaped windows. This poster virtually demands that you see the film.
#22	#23	#24
Gilda	City Lights	Titanic
Silver-screen siren, Rita Hayworth smoking in a slinky silk dress... it doesn't get more elegant than this French version of the 1946 classic	A gorgeous and romantic work of art that truly captures the dreamy mood of this epic love story. I love the film... I love the poster. Both are perfect.	Without question, this poster must be considered one of the most instantly recognizable in history. Two gorgeous stars and the bow of the tragic ship.
#25	#26	#27
Unfaithful	2001: A Space Odyssey	The End of the Affair
Combine the title and the sexy-as-hell image of Diane Lane strewn across her lover's torso, and you have sublime poster.	Chilling -- an embryonic fetus with wide eyes yearning for discovery. The ultimate trip is certainly an accurate tag line.	I love the faded silhouette of Big Ben in the rain and the lonely man walking away in the background. I want this poster framed and hung in my house.
#28	#29	#30
Identity	King Kong	Breakfast at Tiffany's
Creepy and informative, this handprint poster with five life-like fingers and a chilling centerpiece is quite a visual.	The 1933 poster bursts with color and energy so very prevalent in film art back then. This is one of the era's finest examples.	There is a certain elegance and stylish charm that exudes from this poster. I love the modern use of color and framing.
#31	#32	#33
Vertigo	Angel-A	Taxi Driver
There is something disturbing about this off-balance poster. It gives the viewer's eyes a sense of supreme awkwardness.	Black and white is always a bold choice. When coupled with fog and back-lighting, this image of a towering Rie Rasmussen with extended shadows is a truly memorable design.	There is something very lonely about this image. I love the colors and the mood here. One gets the sense of foreboding and pain from this simple shot.
#34	#35	#36
Sullivan's Travels	Papillon	Hunt for Red October
The utter simplicity of this eye-catching poster is its greatest strength. Veronica Lake is clearly defined by unmistakable hair and striking features.	The two grizzled faces of McQueen and Hoffman, visible through the prison door, make this an alarming image.	There may be no better face to put on a poster than that of Sean Connery. His classic mug along with the simple and bold color scheme makes this instantly recognizable.
#37	#38	#39
Dogville	The Thin Red Line	Anatomy of a Murder
Brown is a difficult color to work with. Not many are willing to try it. But this bold color scheme is a great choice here.	Keeping with the tone of the film, this poster foregoes its many stars and bravely focuses on the aesthetic of war instead.	Instantly recognizable, this poster was Premiere Magazine's choice as the #1 poster of all time.
#40	#41	#42
The English Patient	Barry Lyndon	Office Space
As romantic a kiss as you are ever likely to see! This shot is a heavenly peek at this great film.	Again... Simplicity rules the day. It is quite amazing how this basic design is so memorable.	A man engulfed in post-it notes and one of the most truthful taglines in history. This is a brilliant poster that really conveys the tone of the film.
#43	#44	#45
Last Tango in Paris	La Dolce Vita	The Descent
The steamy / blurry image conveys the sexy and dreamlike quality of the legendarily erotic film.	Glamorous Italian cool seeps through every pore of this grand poster. The mystery... The elegance.	A very clever nod to the hidden image on the moth in the "Silence of the Lambs" poster - The skull is made up of the six girls.
#46	#47	#48
Attack of the 50ft Woman	Magnolia	42nd Street
One of the silliest films deserves one of the silliest posters. However, despite that, this is one of the iconic poster images ever.	The subtle blend of the images in and among the petals of the golden flower makes this a delicate and haunting poster. Classic!	The cascading image of legs has been paid homage is tons of posters and films over the years.
#49	#50	#51
Gerry	Walk the Line	The Graduate
The simple blocking references cubism and the nature of the film itself. It also foreshadows the schizophrenic nature of the title character(s).	This is an instant classic. I have never seen a poster that looks remotely like this one. Superb.	The colors may be a bit dull and faded, but the image may be the most famous one in film history. Anyone with the foresight to add that shot to a poster deserves some credit.
#52	#53	#54
Collateral	Perfume	Brotherhood of the Wolf
The intensity of Tom Cruise's heavily stubbled face is very memorable.	Simultaneously romantic and horrific. The woman's blood red hair spills out to create a visceral and haunting image. Superb!	Mystery and intrigue lie waiting for you when you see this glorious image.
#55	#56	#57
A Clockwork Orange	Boogie Nights	Rosemary's Baby
Another Kubrick film with a simple and powerful poster design. That shape is instantly recognizable.	The star. The colors. The fonts. All unique! You could remove all the text and still know the film.	A nightmare waiting to happen. There has always been something eerie about the silhouette of a baby carriage.
#58	#59	#60
Nosferatu the Vampire	1000 Convicts and a Woman	Paris, je t'aime
Perhaps not an original poster, but still wonderful. This is definitely a work of art.	You've got to love that tag line! Wouldn't you love to see posters like that in theatres.	A bright red heart bursting with Eiffel Towers... a special design for a special film.
#61	#62	#63
Le Mepris	The Rules of the Game	Lolita
An beautiful depiction of the seductive Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt".	There is a warmth to that red glow in this poster. One of the great films with one of the great poster.	The taunting image captures the taboo nature of the film's subject. A real Kubrick gem.
#64	#65	#66
The Last Detail	Duets	The Truman Show
A hilarious and bold photo of the main star... This is a great example of letting the picture do all the work.	Elegance and simplicity. This is the definition of the phrase "Less is More". Love this one!	It is hard to see all the little photos that make up the big one. This is a nice visual pun for the film.
#67	#68	#69
About Schmidt	A Good Woman	The 40 Year Old Virgin
Nicholson appears on yet another poster in this list... Here looking as bedraggled as it gets.	There is something very elegant about this poster. It really conveys the 1930's feel with wonderful artwork.	It's that ridiculous look on Steve Carell's face that makes this a classic poster image.
#70	#71	#72
Tristana	Artificial Intelligence	Gangs of New York
Catherine Deneuve graces another entry in this list with this startling profile shot. Mesmerizing.	I love the quiet way in which it appears that the little boy has stepped out from the A.	This poster would be higher on the list if they hadn't resorted to floating heads above the skyline.
#73
Breathless
Along with one of the most famous images in the history of film, this quad poster gorgeously uses two distinct colors and bold simplicity to create a title banner that is virtually impossible to forget. This should be a lesson to all the insanely busy posters out there that try to cram in as much information as possible.
#74	#75	#76
Lawrence of Arabia	Crash	Minority Report
This is an iconic hand-drawn rendition of the legendary character. This is a stunning poster.	The emotion on that face is powerful enough to make you want to see the film.	It was such a nice touch to have the eye, not only be visible, but to be in color rather than the tinted blue.
#77	#78	#79
Munich	Captivity	Silence of the Lambs
This is a somber image that carries an emotional weight with such simplicity. Brilliant!	Being buried alive is one of my worst nightmares... This shot is a desperate visualisation of my fear.	I'll admit it... the poster makes me uncomfortable. It is not pleasant to look at, but it is effective.
#80	#81	#82
Requiem for a Dream	The Exorcist	M.A.S.H.
This is an oddly designed poster... very rare to see such different images split by a title banner. I love the iconic image of Jennifer Connelly on a pier, also used in "Dark City".	You can just about hear that infamous music merely by looking at the poster. A desperate and moody image, a great use of light and B&W.	A surreal image that has been copied many times. I find the blend of hand and legs very unsettling. Is it just me?
#83	#84	#85
Fargo	Showgirls	Premonition
The textured knitting motif is used brilliantly in this off-beat poster for a classically off-beat film.	A dreadful film... A classic poster design. That silhouette is instantly recognizable to all.	Fabulously inventive and creepy, a face made from branches and birds makes this the best of 2007 so far.
#86	#87	#88
Eternal Sunshine...	Adaptation	Manhattan
Joel & Clementine break the ice in this memorable shot from the film.	The trippy and eccentric nature of the film is evident in the poster art.	Woody Allen boils down this NYC relationship film to a sublime B&W still.
#89	#90	#91
Alien	Star Wars: Episode 1	All About Eve
The image is recognizable, but it is the fabulous tagline that makes this poster so great. "In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream!"	The foreshadowing teaser image is just about the only good thing to come from this truly disappointing George Lucas sequel/prequel.	There is something energetic and vibrant about the inertia of this design. It feels very tied to the decade.
#92	#93	#94
Belle de Jour	Notorious Bettie Page	Stalker
This poster hints at the wonderfully erotic nature of Bunuel's masterpiece with Catherine Deneuve. What a perfect tease!	Bold and distinctive colors frame the iconic image of Gretchen Mol as Bettie Page. This is a great example of simplicity.	Thanks to Stanley M. for this wonderful suggestion. This obscure Tarkovski film poster is eerie beyond belief. Love the colors!
#95
The Rocketeer
The only real reason to see the film is to catch a glimpse of Jennifer Connelly in one of her most resplendent roles. However, the UK Quad poster has a spectacular art-deco with tremendous kinetic power. It is simply gorgeous.
#96	#97	#98
Jules et Jim	Gun Crazy	Le Divorce
This immortal image of Jeanne Moreau has been paid homage in Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky".	More humorous than anything else, this is a perfect example of pulp art poster design.	At first, you may not notice the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower in the cleavage. Nice touch!
#99
L'Ammaliatrice (The Flame of New Orleans)
Marlene Dietrich extended in her full glory in a sensual artistic rendition. This is the kind of classy quad-poster that you could hang as art in your home. This reader suggestion definitely flew under my radar. Thanks to Jim S. for the tip!
#100