New Batman 3 news. OFFICIAL!!!!!

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES..........

Now that is a great title.  Christopher Nolan revealed the title today as well as mentioning a few other tidbits.

Contrary to popular opinion, The Riddler has been confirmed as NOT being the main villain, with Nolan keen to move on with the characters he has already established.  What does this mean?  A more prominent role for Zsasz?  Ra's Al Ghul to return?  Talia Al Ghul to show up to avenge her father's murder?  Two Face is somehow alive?  The Joker to be recast?  So many questions come from such a cryptic line.  Nolan is a smart guy.

As for the title, it shows the writer-director’s intention to keep his Batman trilogy tightly stitched together. “We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones,” Nolan said cryptically.

The film will also NOT be shot in 3D (Thank god) and will again use IMAX cameras for select scenes.

After all the speculation, it is great to get some official confirmation regarding the projects status.  I really dig the name, and again Nolan has the balls to leave Batman out of the title, showing trust in his audience.

July 20th 2012 is looking further and further away.......Until next time........

Back to the Future tidbits.....

I recently caught Back to the Future, when it was playing in the Odeon.  It was a brand new digital transfer, and also featured a remastered soundtrack.  It  really was something special.  The film feels as vibrant and fun as it did when it was first released, and it's hard to believe that the movie is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  Suffice to say, the Blu Ray edition contains the same digital transfer and remastered audio for all three films, and its another great showcase for the clarity of Blu Ray itself.

I came across this interview with Bob Gale, one of the creators of this seminal movie.  In it he discusses Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty, how Doc may have purposefully burned down his mansion to claim on the insurance money, as well as the future (if any) of the franchise.  It's a great read, check it out.

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/10/25/back-to-the-future-bob-gale-easter-eggs-eric-stoltz-sequels-25th-anniversary/

Matt Damon gives his two cents on the upcoming BOURNE LEGACY.....

Recently, it was announced that Universal was moving forward with a new movie in the Bourne franchise.  Paul Greengrass, the director of both The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, said he had no plans to return and Matt Damon has went on the record saying that if Greengrass wasn't in, then he never would be either.

Well, Universal have decided to get Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter on the first three movies, to script a new story and also to direct.  Under the working title of The Bourne Legacy,  Gilroy has stated that the movie will investigate the murky world of spies and counter-intelligance, but will not focus on Bourne himself.  However, there is to be some kind of open ending that would allow Matt Damon to return to the franchise in the future, if he so wished.

Well it would appear that Matt Damon has been left out of the loop.  When asked about the project, he had only this to say, 'I found out they're making another when somebody saw it on the Internet' Damon told Parade. 'Nobody bothered to call me. I'm not in it, but even so, they'll work Bourne into the title I guess.

'Universal just wants to call everything the Bourne something. So I guess they are trying to make another franchise and as they say, 'It isn't over until it's over.''

I wouldn't hold your breath on Damon returning anytime soon.

This all sounds like a massive shame to me.  The Bourne Trilogy is one of the best film series released in the last 20 years.  It forced Bond to up his game, was fast paced and exciting, and felt like it took place in our world, rather than some pumped up, glamourised version of it.  I'm all for them continuing the story.  After all, the ending of Ultimatum was a big tease.  But if the creative minds of Greengrass and Damon are absent, then I'm afraid my seat in the cinema will be absent also.

Until next time............

Star Wars VII - IX on the way?

You can take this with a large pinch of salt, but the latest rumour doing the rounds on the 'net, is that George Lucas is planning on expanding on the Star Wars Saga with a new trilogy of movies.  These would apparently be set after the original trilogy and would take place in the same universe, but have nothing to do with the original characters.  Hmm.......

Apparently the plan is to re-release the existing saga on Blu-ray, and for Lucas to use the profits from that (already early estimates set that profit at $500million+), and to self finance the movies.  This would allow him to shoot them his way, with little to no interference.

But does the world really need any more Star Wars movies?  The original trilogy are a blast, if overrated.  I'm not doubting their importance, legacy or the knock on effect they had on special effects.  Nor do I deny that Harrison Ford's Han Solo is one of the coolest characters of all time.  But to me, Lucas made similar films in the late 90's and early 2000's and his scripting, the standard of acting and direction were all called into question.  Yet, the dialogue and acting was over the top in the original movies but was overlooked because they were ahead of their time.  As even Harrison Ford once noted about the original scripts 'You can write this, but that don't mean you can say it'.

As I say this is all rumour at this point, but what do you guys think?  Potential to make up for the disappointments of Episodes I-III?  Or further salt rubbed in the wounds of the fans of the original trilogy?  Until next time..........

New TOP GUN directed by TONY SCOTT? Yes Please..........

It would appear that Top Gun 2 is a go.  Out doing press for his upcoming Denzel Washington starring action movie 'Unstoppable', Tony Scott let slip that the next film he would like to tackle is a sequel to one of the defining 80's era movies, Top Gun.

Unfairly just labelled as the gayest action movie ever made, it is nonetheless an awesome piece of blockbuster moviemaking, which remarkably holds up well today. 

Scott has been quoted as saying "I don't want to do a remake. I don't want to do a reinvention. I want to do a new movie" No reboot replacing The Cruiser as Maverick then.

When asked about what kind of sequel this would be, Scott continued "It's a whole different world now. These computer geeks -- these kids play war games in a trailer in Fallon, Nevada and if we ever went to war or were in the Middle East or the Far East or wherever it is, these guys can actually fly drones. They are unmanned aircraft. They operate them and then they party all night" says Scott.

As long as they find a place for 'Take My Breath Away', I'm in.  Oh and remember I said that it had been unfairly labelled as being a bit too homosexual....Well if they had have used this trailer, then that claim would have been valid.  And they didn't even have to use the Volleyball scene!  Until next time...........

The Hobbit has been greenlit!.....finally.

The Hobbit is a strange beast.  A prequel set before the Lord of the Rings saga, it is viewed more of a kid friendly story set within that world.  Yet a brave move was made in bringing in Guillermo Del Toro to helm a two part story based on Tolkien's book.  A man who specializes in nightmarish and haunting imagery.  This was to be no kid's fare, and had Tolkien fans salivating.  Two years of hard pre production work later and Del Toro walked away from the project.  MGM's financial woes are well documented and are the sole reason that the Sam Mendes directed / Daniel Craig starring Bond 23 has never come to be.  Same story with The Hobbit and I guess Del Toro just got sick of waiting.  He stepped down, thanked the fans and moved onto other projects.

So who could rescue these movies?  Well, look no further than the original trilogy's demi-god, Peter Jackson.  Having been on board from the start as a writer and producer, it was surely only a matter of time before he took the directing reins once Del Toro announced his departure.

Well apparently, MGM and Warner Bros. have agreed to bankroll the movies, and we're looking at seeing the first movie by early 2012.

This is undoubtedly good news.  While Star Wars may have been the defining cinema trilogy for generations past, for me it has come no bigger or better than the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  The unique way in which all three films were shot back to back.  The teaser trailers, the epic length, the lack of compromise of Tolkien's source material, the relative unknown nature of the cast.  It all just came together wonderfully and being released one year apart around Christmas time always gave us movie goers something to look forward to.

2012 is shaping up to be pretty damn big.  Already confirmed is Batman 3 (tentative release date July 20th, 2012), as well as the Spiderman reboot and The Hobbit.  You can probably add Zack Snyder's Superman to that list, though I have a feeling it might aim for a late 2011 release.

2012 is already looking too far away!  Until next time...........

Scream 4 - More of the same, but is that a bad thing?

At the recent aptly titled Scream awards in the States, the cast of the upcoming Scream 4, provided the hungry public with their first taste of the latest film in the genre defining series.  Scream was a great movie, and it easily stands up today, same as the original Nightmare on Elm Street or Psycho.  Scream 2 was a fantastic sequel, and the first one I was able to catch at the cinema.  Scream 3 was a disappointment, and there was always this lingering feeling that it was a shame to end the series there.

Well, they're back.  Kevin Williamson, writer of the first two (but crucially not of the third) and director Wes Craven have joined forces once more to bring a new chapter to modern audiences.  If it goes down well, this is to be the first part of a new trilogy.  It's good to see the original cast members back, and it's never a bad thing to see Neve Campbell on the big screen.......

Here's the teaser trailer.  It definitely looks to have caught the spirit of the first movie, and I'm looking forward to this.  Enjoy.

Roll on Halloween. Frank Darabont brings The Walking Dead to our screens....

It's been a bad year for television.  Two of my beloved shows, 24 and Lost, came to an end.  Entourage has announced there will only be one more half series and then a movie, and there are still no signs that TV executives will see sense and bring back Arrested Development!  Okay the last one is a bit of a stretch, but things are suddenly looking up.

First of all, we have HBO and their Scorsese produced Boardwalk Empire.  HBO's new Sopranos?  It's getting better by the episode, but may take a while to match Tony and friends.  And at the end of this month, we have The Walking Dead to look forward to.  The idea of zombies walking the earth, and very little of mankind remaining is hardly a new idea, but for me it's always cried out for more exploration than a two hour movie.

The fact that it's produced and directed by Frank Darabont only whets the appetite further.  He will always be remembered for The Shawshank Redemption, and rightly so, but his adaptation of The Mist was exceptional, containing a heightened feeling of dread and also huge respect to the source material.

I think F/X have picked up the rights for this side of the world, while AMC will be showing it in the States.  Here's the trailer for you to enjoy.  Looking forward to this.  Until next time.........

Tom Hardy cast in New Batman film.....?

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Tom Hardy, the Forger in Inception, has been cast in the upcoming Batman movie.  To be honest, it sounds like they are clutching at straws a little bit, the source indicating that Christopher Nolan likes to work with the same actors, and that Inception was such a smooth shoot that he's keen to link up again.  If this is indeed the case, I'd rather it was Joseph Gordon Levitt being cast, but after his charismatic turn in Inception, Hardy would certainly not be a bad alternative.

Assuming this is true, then what role would he be up for?  Everyone seems convinced that The Riddler will be the next villain in Nolan's Batman saga, given his love of playing tricks on the audience and the his all round intelligence.  But for me, there are several villains I think could be utilised instead.  Hush would be a great nemesis, as anyone who has read Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's graphic novel masterpiece will attest to.  Black Mask would also be a good alternative, and would certainly fit in with the Gotham underworld Nolan has established.

On the female side, I think Talia Al Ghul would be a superb way of bringing the story full circle after Ra's apparent demise in Batman Begins.  And then of course, Catwoman is heavily rumoured.

As I say, all we can do is speculate at this point as Christopher Nolan is one of the few director's in Hollywood who can keep his scripts, stories and secrets close to his chest, knowing just how much to release to whet the public's appetite.

Who do you think should be in the next Batman movie?  Feel free to leave comments below.  Until next time...........

When Christopher Nolan met Alfred Hitchcock...........

This is the coolest thing I've seen today.  The Inception trailer has been fan made into a 1950's trailer.  If you recognise the music or the voiceover narration, then two points for you.  They are from the Vertigo trailer, Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece.  Two of the best films ever made brought together?  Awesome.  Enjoy........

'This is so much fun it's freaky' - Rockhound. My review of Armageddon on Blu Ray......

Armageddon is a great movie.  There I've said it, let the abuse begin......

Released in 1998, it tells the story of a bunch of redneck oil drillers who are drafted by the US government to land on an asteroid to drill a hole, drop a nuke into it and save humanity.  It is preposterous to the nth degree, but hell is it ridiculously entertaining.  From the offset, when we meet Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his crew, it's tongue is firmly in cheek, and it stays there for the duration of the movie.

What makes this a great movie is that it all comes together so well.  First up, the cast is fantastic.  Sure Bruce 'The Man' Willis is front and centre, but this is a true ensemble piece.  Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, Owen Wilson, the list goes on and on.  They all know the type of movie they are making, and there is a great comedic chemistry there.  Take the scene early on when they agree to take on the mission, and they make a list of demands should they be successful.  Michael Bay actually just told the actors to put down whatever they want on the sheets, it wasn't in the script.  From parking tickets being wiped off their records, to a summer stay at the White House, the scene is funny and reaches a great crescendo when they say they never want to pay taxes again.....ever.  Who wouldn't ask for that?  It's a sense of fun and humour that continues throughout.  Sure these guys are saving the world, but why can't they have a bit of fun along the way?

The other reason the cast works so well is that they all create varied and flawed characters.  They may all get limited screentime in comparison to Harry and AJ (Ben Affleck), but they make the most of it.  From Will Patton trying to reconnect with his son and possible ex-wife, to Steve Buscemi taking out a huge loan from a dangerous loan shark, believing he won't make it back, they all have different motivations for agreeing to take on this dangerous and frankly ridiculous mission.

This brings us to AJ and Grace (Liv Tyler).  It is their relationship, as well as Grace's relationship with her father, Harry, that gives the movie heart.  Some people might say it's contrived, and sickly, but it feels genuine to me.  The animal crackers scene is often maligned, but I'm sorry, if you haven't talked like that to a girl, when no-one else is around, then you're either a liar or have always been single!  The best and most true line comes at the end of the scene when Grace asks, 'Do you think anyone else in the world is doing the same thing as us right now?', and AJ's response is 'I hope so, otherwise what the hell are we trying to save?'.  Shakespeare it may not be, but it's honest and it rings true.

This brings us to the action of the movie.  If there's one thing Michael Bay has always done well in his career, it is blow shit up and make it look great.  The opening meteor shower that hits New York at the start sets the example.  Then we have meteors hit Southeast Asia, and Paris.  This was a smart move.  Although the movie is unapologetically draped in American patriotism, there are at least attempts to show this is a worldwide disaster, and not only the United States will suffer should the asteroid hit.  On Blu ray especially, the action is phenomenal.  The picture is crisp and clear, and for a movie which is over 12 years old, Armageddon could easily stand up against today's effects driven movies.  In fact, put it side by side against something like Clash of the Titans and I know which one I think looks better.

Then there's the action sequences in the Russian space station, and upon the asteroid itself.  Against a ticking clock that will spend the end of humanity, these sequences are tense and best of all they feel dangerous.  You know that not everyone is going to survive, and this is important in increasing the threat level against these characters we have spent the first half of the movie getting to know, and rooting for to succeed.  We want Harry to be triumphant.  We want Oscar (Owen Wilson) to see it through just for the passion to be part of 'a historic mission.  Deep blue hero stuff'.  We want Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) to get home and face the loan shark knowing he saved the world.  We want Chick (Will Patton) to find happiness reconnecting with his son.  We want AJ and Grace to have their happy ending.  There are so many characters and motivations, that there is always a character to root for.

It's the little things that transform this from a good movie to a great one. 

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

There is a lot of set up, and it all gets paid off in the end.  For a no-brainer action blockbuster, it has both heart and smarts.  From Harry making sure that Truman gets a mission patch from the spacesuit, to Molly Mounds the stripper treating Rockhound as her hero when he returns.  Everyone who survives gets their happy ending.  Which of course brings us to Harry's fate.  Who didn't shed a tear when Harry sacrifices himself, so his daughter can get married and live a happy life?  It begs the question, that if we only had two minutes left to talk to the person we loved the most in the world, what would we say?  What would we make sure that they knew?  And then there's one final tense scene where Harry gets blown off his feet, and only just detonates the bomb with seconds to spare.  Tremendous stuff.  Well acted, well directed, well scripted and gorgeous to look at.

*SPOILERS OVER*

Maybe the reason this movie has stayed with me, is because I was 15 when it came out and watching movies on the big screen was such a pleasure.  It reminds me of a simpler time, when characters were purely good, motivations were clear and director's like Michael Bay were simply out to entertain you.  If I put it beside other big budget blockbusters of the last few years, only The Dark Knight, Inception and Avatar hold up.  Even Michael Bay has hit a downward spiral, with the likes of his Transformers movies and The Island, no match for his earlier output of Armageddon and The Rock.

The only downside to the blu ray release is that is almost entirely devoid of extras.  Now I have the Criterion Edition on DVD and the extras are exhaustive.  Totally worth checking out if you can get it cheaply on DVD just for Michael Bay and Ben Affleck's commentary.  Affleck - 'I just ask Michael would it not be easier to train astronauts to drill a hole?'.  Michael Bay - 'Shut the fuck up Ben, it's a movie'.  It's this attitude that led to, personally, one of my favourite movies of modern times.  Logic goes out the window (there can be no explosions in space due to the lack of oxegen), and all out balls to the wall entertainment has taken its place.  The lack of extras are disappointing, but made up for by the fact that along with The Dark Knight, and North by Northwest, this is one of the sharpest, most gorgeous Blu ray transfers I have seen.  

So make some popcorn, switch of the lights and your brain, put it on the biggest screen you have and crank up the sound.  Armageddon is back to own your ass all over again.  Watch the scene below and tell me you don't want to drop what you are doing and watch it right now.  Until next time.............

Superman Reboot update - A villain has been chosen........

It appears that Zack Snyder (or maybe Christopher Nolan) has their head screwed on.  We're a bit sick of seeing Superman squaring off against Lex Luthor.  Which is why Superman geeks collective heads will explode at the news that General Zod will be Superman's nemesis in the new movie.  Well I guess we can count on some awesome action.  But who will be able to step into Terence Stamp's shoes?

Most unsurprising news hits the net regarding Superman reboot.........

Well, I did call it.  Zack Snyder has officially been chosen to helm the planned Christopher Nolan produced 'Superman reboot'.  A darling of Warner Bros. given that he made a shedload of money for them with 300 and Watchmen, he was always the obvious choice.  He has shown great respect to the source material with the two movies mentioned (ending to Watchmen aside), and had an eye for visual flair.  At worst, its bound to much more visually arresting than Bryan Singer's 2006 Superman Returns.  Release dates and news soon to follow.  Now on to the next question.  Who should play the Man of Steel..........

Oh and as an example os Snyder batshit crazy visual style, check out the trailer for his upcoming 'SUCKER PUNCH'.  And then try and tell me what its all about!  Until next time.........