Monday, November 29, 2010

Irvin Kershner has passed...

From ComingSoon.net:

"...director Irvin Kershner, best known for directing the Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, has passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 87 after a long bout with illness. Born in Philadelphia in 1923, the filmmaker trained in music and photography before making documentaries and features starting in the late '50s. His breakout came exactly thirty years ago when George Lucas hired him to helm Empire Strikes Back, which many movie fans still consider the best of the beloved series. That was followed by the unauthorized James Bond flick Never Say Never Again, starring Sean Connery, and another sequel, RoboCop 2."



I honestly was watching The Empire Strikes Back last night. It is a great film, but I love A New Hope so much more.

Mr. Kershner, you will be missed.

Leslie Nielsen has passed...

From ComingSoon.net:

"Actor Leslie Nielsen passed away today at a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida hospital, according to his agent John S. Kelly. He died of complications from pneumonia at the age of 84.

Born on February 11, 1926, Nielsen is most known for his roles in comedies such as Airplane! and The Naked Gun films.

His agent sent out the following statement:

'We are saddened by the passing of beloved actor Leslie Nielsen, probably best remembered as Lt. Frank Drebin in series of pictures, but who enjoyed a more than 60 year career in motion pictures and television.

Mr. Nielsen, 84, died of complications of pneumonia in a hospital near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, surrounded by his lovely wife and dear friends at 5:34pm EST today.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his name to the charity of your choice.'

Nielsen appeared in over 100 films, including Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure, as well as over 1,500 TV programs during his career."

I mostly remember him in films like The Reluctant Astronaut (him playing a straight man role in a comedy), Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4, Superhero Movie and my favorite, Mr. Magoo.



RIP Mr. Nielsen, you will be missed. Yes, we are serious. And don't call me Shirley.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Gore Verbinski says, "Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!"

From ComingSoon.net:

"Walt Disney Pictures has confirmed... that Gore Verbinksi is now officially signed on for Disney's The Lone Ranger.


Verbinksi, who has worked with Johnny Depp on the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films and the upcoming Rango, will re-team with the actor, currently attached to play the Lone Ranger's sidekick, Tonto.

The Lone Ranger's origin story begins with a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish. The gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto, who nurses him back to health. The Ranger, donning a mask and riding a white stallion named Silver, teams up with Tonto to bring the unscrupulous gang and others of that ilk to justice.

The film version will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer with a script from Justin Haythe."

From out of the West, in a cloud of dust,

MARS NEEDS MOMS and a trailer!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Walt Disney Pictures has released the first trailer for Mars Needs Moms, based on the book by Berkeley Breathed and opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theaters on March 11. Directed by Simon Wells, the animated adventure is voiced by Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois, Mindy Sterling, Kevin Cahoon and Joan Cusack. You can watch the trailer below the synopsis.


Take out the trash, eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she's nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Produced by the team behind Disney's A Christmas Carol and The Polar Express, Mars Needs Moms showcases Milo's quest to save his mom - a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one. Based on the Book by Berkeley Breathed."



Now this is what I'm talking about! Not too kiddish, yet not too serious! Maybe this will be the movie to have Disney change their minds and reinstate ImageMovers Digital.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

COWBOYS & ALIENS shoots up a trailer!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Universal Pictures has revealed the trailer for Cowboys & Aliens, the Jon Favreau-directed graphic novel adaptation starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Ana de la Reguera and Abigail Spencer. Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof, the action thriller hits theaters on July 29.

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival."

GREEN LANTERN shines a light on a trailer

From ComingSoon.net:

"Warner Bros. Pictures has debuted the first trailer for Green Lantern, the highly-anticipated big screen adaptation directed by Martin Campbell. Opening in 3D and 2D theaters on June 17, the action adventure stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins, Mark Strong, Taika Waititi, Temuera Morrison, Angela Bassett, Jay O. Sanders and Jon Tenney.

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan."

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

CARS 2 zooms across the world and gets a trailer!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Disney•Pixar has revealed... the new [trailer] for Cars 2, opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theaters on June 24. The trailers reveal that Michael Caine is providing the voice for Finn McMissile.

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in Cars 2 when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater's action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

The sequel is directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Brad Lewis."

Thursday, November 11, 2010

From IRON to MAGIC?

From ComingSoon.net:



"Jon Favreau is now attached to Magic Kingdom, a family feature that takes place in a fantasy version of Disneyland, reports Variety.

Favreau, currently gearing up to release his [film] Cowboys & Aliens with Universal next summer, will helm the project for Disney. Currently without a script (though a version by Ronald Moore was allegedly written and shelved), the project is being compared to Night at the Museum, treating the theme park in the same way that museums have been treated for that franchise.

Separately from Magic Kingdom, Disney is filming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth film in the franchise, The Haunted Mansion with Guillermo del Toro, Tomorrowland [supposedly starring Dwayne Johnson] and Jungle Cruise, all of which are based on existing Disney theme park rides."

Jon Favreau = the right man for the job.

Friday, November 5, 2010

TRON gets animated

From ComingSoon.net:

"Variety is reporting that Disney is producing a Tron animated series. It will be titled, 'Tron: Uprising'. The series is scheduled to air in Summer, 2012.

Disney XD will be the hosting channel. The series will be executive produced and directed by Charlie Bean. The voice cast will include Elijah Wood, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Mandy Moore, Paul Reubens and Lance Henriksen, with Bruce Boxleitner reprising his role from the films as Tron.

'Tron: Uprising' will be proceeded by a previously announced Disney XD 10-episode Tron 'microseries', which will air fall 2011."