Are you afraid of clowns? I thought so. What about Spanish clowns? Sad clowns? Clowns in love? Machinegun wielding clowns dressed as the pope?
Not so much scared as utterly utterly confused…
Director Álex de la Iglesia’s film, The Last Circus(Balada Triste de Trompeta) seems to have all this and more. Winner of Best Screenplay and best director at the Venice Film Festival (2010) and a selection of the Toronto International Film Festival (2010), The Last Circus will be opening August 12 (2011) in select theatres. The new red-band trailer gives a taste of the chaos to come. I’m not one for copy and pasting press releases but this one is so pitch perfect I have to relay it in full. I have never, in my life, laughed so hard reading a movie synopsis.
Here’s the newest trailer to the much-anticipated live action/animated Smurfs Movie. Go on. Watch it. I’ll wait…
It’s terrifying! What is going on?! I have fond nostalgic memories of watching the smurfs on saturday mornings. I’ll admit, Hank Azaria’s Gargamel looks like he walked straight out of the cartoon, but what is going on with the smurfs? From the dialogue in this trailer, it seems like the smurfs are trying to be a bit edgy. Really? Are Smurfs edgy? The Chipmunks can be edgy. In fact, everything about this trailer reminds me of the Chipmunks (with an evil wizard): The animation style, the plot, the destruction of my childhood. What worries me most is the giant 3D in the title. Do we want to see these fury blue demons jumping out at us? I know I don’t. Does anyone else find these new fangled smurfs a tad too creepy, or is it just me over reacting to another attempt at pouring our nostalgia down the throats of a new generation?
Our first glimpse of warm weather reminds us that summer is just around the corner. April showers bring more than May flowers; they bring the start of the summer movie season. What comic book movies hit the big screen this summer? The Nerd Vortex has the run-down on the good and the bad coming to theatres near you.
Thor
Release Date: May 6th Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins
Thor angers daddy and is cast out of Asgard. He finds himself on earth and becomes a superhero.
The Good: The visuals look epic, the cast is solid (Thor stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, and Chris Hemsworth’s arms) and if anyone can pull this off, it’s Kenneth Branagh. Known for his Shakespearean work, Branagh may be able to bring the needed gravitas to ground the fantastical concept. Plus, we get more agent Coulson (Clark Gregg)! You gotta love agent Coulson!
The Bad: Thor could go horribly horribly wrong really fast. Mixing superheroes and Norse mythology is a risk. One wrong move and Asgard could come crashing down (A la Siege). Setting the right tone is key. If Thor or Captain American go of the rails I fear for the Avengers movie.
.
Priest
Release Date: May 13th Starring: Paul Bettany, Maggie Q, Karl Urban
A warrior priest breaks his vows and hunts down the vampires that have kidnapped his niece. Priest is another film in the ever-growing Paul Bettany Wants to Be a Religious Action Star sub-genre (Seriously, why is this a thing?).
The Good: I’m a sucker for any movie with religious undertones, no matter how cheesy. I watched Season of the Witch for Christ’s sake (pun intended). Bettany can play brooding quite well, and Karl Urban rarely does wrong.
The Bad: With relatively unknown source material, does Bettany have the star power to fill theatre seats? Director Scott Stewart’s last effort, Legion (also starring Bettany) didn’t do so hot and this looks like more of the same. In an adaptation filled summer season, this may be the one that gets left behind.
Entertainment Weekly’s new cover offers us our first glimpse of Ryan Reynolds in costume as the Green Lantern. Sure, it’s a CG costume, but a costume none the less. Reynolds, who recently played Wade Wilson in X-men Origins: Wolverine will play the ring wielding hero of the DC universe. Green Lantern’s powers are only limited by his imagination…and that dastardly yellow. The issue of Entertainment Weekly will include and interview with the star and a behind the scenes look at production. It has also been reported that Reynolds suppered an injury to his shoulder last week while filming. The Green Lantern hits theatres summer 2011. Picture after the cut. Continue reading EW Cover features Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern→
In news, that is probably only exciting to me, British band The Kinks, are headed to the big screen. A musical based on their record ‘Schoolboys in Disgrace’ is in the works. Bobcat Goldthwait has penned as script and will also be on board to direct. The 1967 album ‘Schoolboys in Disgrace’ contains songs such as Jack the Idiot Dunce, The Hard Way, and The Last Assembly.
Goldthwait says:
“‘Schoolboys in Disgrace’ is a story that any kid who has felt that they are not being treated fairly can relate to, all set to some of the greatest rock songs you’ll ever hear. It’s the genesis story of a super villain set to music. It’s the story of the world’s most charming criminal and a realistic high school musical for all the kids who hate sugary, sweet, unrealistic high school musicals.”
Count me in. Not only am I a musical fan, but I love the Kinks more than and 25-year-old should. The hollywood reporter confirms that song for the musical will be re-recorded by the cast. An eventual soundtrack will be available for purchase.
Day in and day out, I can’t keep these rumours straight. He’s in, he’s out, he’s refused, he’s negotiating…it’s all speculation until it’s confirmed. Entertainment Weekly is the most notable source to date. EW states that Michael Fassbender is indeed up for the role of Magneto in Matthew Vaughn’s X-men: First Class, and is currently in negotiations. Hollywood Reporter is singing the same tune, and also mentions that Aaron Johnson, and Andrew Garfield have tested for roles.
Building on another casting rumour, Showbiz 411 confirms Benjamin Walker as Beast.
So, video clips for some (miniature America flags for others)!
Once again we join the Pevensie kids and their lion-shaped god in the magical world of Narnia, where animals talk, queens are evil, and children are left to save the world. Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmund (Skander Keynes) and their cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) make their way back, not through a wardrobe, but a painting, in this third installment, based on the C.S. Lewis classics. The three meet up with the now King Caspian (Ben Barnes) on his royal ship. CGI animals and adventures ensue. Voyage of the Dawn Treader hits theatres this Christmas.
While Green Lantern doesn’t hit theatres until next summer, the folks at Warner Brothers are readying themselves for big screen success. The WB have already hired Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim to produce a treatment for a second installment of the lantern wielding hero. Continue reading DC Gets to Work on Green Lantern 2 and The Flash→
The Nerd Vortex 