Behind the Scenes of ‘Burn Notice’ Prequel ‘The Sam Axe Movie’

Even though the Burn Notice prequel, dubbed “The Sam Axe Movie,” is currently filming in Columbia and won’t premiere until later this spring, fans are able to keep a close eye on the day-to-day production, thanks to producer Aaron Ginsberg.

Ginsberg, who recently came off the canceled Matt Nix FOX series The Good Guys, has been providing an in-depth look at the filming of “The Sam Axe Movie” through his Twitter and Tumblr accounts. While production has faced geese attacks, stray donkeys and permit problems, the internet availability appears to be pretty solid.

As we now know, “The Sam Axe Movie” will give fans a look at the back-story of everyone’s favorite alcohol drinking ex-spy on Burn Notice. Set in 2005 Colombia, Lt. Cmdr. Sam Axe is deployed to check out some problems that a local military platoon is having with Colombian rebels. As usual, bad things happen and we’ll see what events led Sam Axe to become our favorite Miami resident.

With camera in tow, Ginsberg has been providing wonderful photos of various filming locations, military vehicles and pre-production planning. On top of that, Ginsberg has also been keeping track of any interesting or hilarious conversations on the set and has been dictating them for fans to enjoy.

You can read some of our favorite quotes below:

“So, the dailies didn’t make it to LA… Turns out, they have been detained by U.S. Customs.” ~ Producer“Our generator is on fire. Don’t worry, we’re putting it out.” ~ 1st AD — only 2 hours into our first day of shooting.“And, look, we can always light his arm on fire.” ~ Stunt Coordinator“If it makes me nervous, you know we’re in trouble.” ~  Stunt Coordinator[An email with a picture of a donkey attached] “A donkey that Columbian Production found 500 yards from the location. Do we want him?”

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The PICTURE CAR DEPT shows us a laptop with picture of a CAR

PICTURE CAR DEPT: Do you like this car for Sam Axe?

JEFFREY DONOVAN: Yeah, that’s great!

PICTURE CAR DEPT: We cannot get this car.

::Pause. Picture Car Department gestures to another jpeg on the computer::

PICTURE CAR DEPT: How about this car? Do you like it?

JEFFREY: Perfect!

PICTURE CAR DEPT: This car is not available.

(Sigh.)

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EXT. COLOMBIAN JUNGLES. CERTAIN KEY VEHICLES ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. THE 1ST AD GRABS HIS WALKIE-TALKIE.

1ST AD: I need to know what -exactly- we have here on location!
::Excruciatingly long pause::
2ND AD: I’ll tell you in five minutes.

As you can tell from those select quotes that everything in production appears to be running smoothly – especially if they’re in need of an extra donkey. U.S. Customs holding delivery of the dailies, back to LA, certainly isn’t the best thing to happen – but things could be worse. For instance, their generator could catch on fire in the middle of the jungle.

Even though the quotes were hilarious, and somewhat informative, there’s nothing like photos. Fortunately, we sifted through all of Ginsberg’s photos and, like the quotes, selected our favorites. Unfortunately, Bruce Campbell doesn’t appear in any of them.  If you’d like to see all of Ginsberg’s photos and keep up date with filming, check out his Twitter and Tumblr accounts.

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Burn Notice prequel “The Sam Axe Movie” is set to air this spring on USA.

Follow me on Twitter @anthonyocasio
Follow Screen Rant on Twitter @screenrant

Source: Twitter, Tumbler

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Julia Roberts in Talks to Play Evil Queen in 3D ‘Snow White’ Movie

No matter where you turn this week, you’ll run into news about an upcoming Snow White project. Disney’s recruited an Oscar-winner to pen Snow and the Seven; Universal has their eye on Twilight‘s leading lady to play the princess; and now Relativity Media has formerly begun talks with Julia Roberts to sign on for The Brothers Grimm: Snow White.

Roberts has been rumored to play the Evil Queen in director Tarsem’s Snow White for a few months, but now the Oscar-winner and (former) rom-com queen has formally entered negotiations – also, not so shockingly, the movie will be released in 3D.

The Brothers Grimm: Snow White aims to be a (relatively) loyal retelling of the fairy tale when compared to Universal’s Snow White and the Huntsman, which looks to feature Charlize Theron as the villainous, beauty-obsessed matriarch, and much more so than Disney’s kung fu adventure Snow and the Seven. Progress on all three films is being made and Vulture has indicated that Universal hopes to have its princess flick be the first on the scene, even though it was originally scheduled to arrive in December of 2012.

Tarsem will blend his surreal style of Mise-en-scène with Melisa Wallack’s more action-oriented Snow White script, which immediately places the titular gal in peril by having the wicked stepmom kill her loving father, wreak havoc on the kingdom, and force Snow White to seek refuge in the wood with a band of seven dwarfs. Considering his previous work, it’s impossible to not be intrigued about what nightmarish visuals the Immortals director will come up with in a story made famous by the guys who literally coined the term grim.

Tarsem's films - 'The Cell', 'The Fall', 'Immortals'.

There’s no word yet about who might be playing Snow White herself, though previously-rumored candidates Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman are now out of the running for reasons related to The Dark Knight Rises and parenthood. Scarlett Johansson was another big name being tossed around as a possibility to die her blond locks ebony for the role, but as was noted in this week’s Uncharted update, she’s been connected to just about every upcoming tentpole pic that features a significant female lead role.

Will Relativity Media be less inclined to push for an A-lister to portray Snow White if Roberts signs on as the Evil Queen? Or might they still want a popular younger actress for the part, since the financial returns for Robert’s last starring vehicle, Eat, Pray, Love, indicated that she’s not quite the can’t-miss box office titan that she used to be? Expect to find out for certain sooner rather than later.

The Brothers Grimm: Snow White could begin shooting this spring and possibly reach both 2D and 3D screens by the end of 2011, so stay tuned for more information.

Source: Vulture

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‘Hurt Locker’ Writer May Script Wikileaks Movie

Whether you feel he’s been unfairly vindicated or villainized for his actions, there’s no doubt that the now Nobel Peace Prize-nominated founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has certainly made an impact on the current political atmosphere. That’s why it’s less than surprisingly to learn that Hollywood is circling his life like a shark drawn to blood, so to speak.

Among the increasing number of in-development cinematic projects related to Assange/Wikileaks is one that actually looks to become a reality – a film scripted by Mark Boal, the man who won two Academy-Awards for his work on Katherine Bigelow’s high-octane war flick, The Hurt Locker.

Boal’s screenplay would be based off the New York Times Magazine Wikileaks article “The Boy Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,” the title of which appropriately references another skillful (albeit, fictional) computer hacker – Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – whose methods would be rather controversial in real life. One of the screenwriter’s upcoming new collaborations with Bigelow, Triple Frontier, is a potential obstacle that could restrict him to handling production duties on the Wikileaks movie only.

True Grit executive producer Megan Ellison is working with Boal and Management 360 on the movie that Deadline indicates could emerge ahead of every other Wikileaks project in development – much like All the President’s Men was the eventual winner in Hollywood’s contest to turn the Watergate scandal into cinematic gold back in the 1970s.

Other prospectives in the race to bring Assange’s story to the big screen first include DreamWorks, which is eying the screen rights to the upcoming book Inside Wikileaks by the organization’s former second-in-command, Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Universal is already pulling ahead on the non-fiction side of things, as it’s set to distribute an already in-progress, non-dramatized work from the Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) about Assange.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Boal was widely praised for delivering a Hurt Locker screenplay that captured the essence and nerve-shredding nature of modern warfare without being too preachy or heavy-handed – in order words, scripting a film that generally allowed moviegoers to make up their own minds about the subject matter being examined. That’s exactly the kind of touch needed to successfully recreate the tale of Assange, who some see as a brave man who keeps the U.S. government honest by uncovering its dirty laundry – and others see as a recklessly destructive figure who ought to be imprisoned for his actions.

A film about Assange also has the potential to be an interesting character study, as the fellow has been described as brave, fearless, arrogant, and interested solely in his own benefit – not to mention the recent charges of sexual misconduct against him, which may either be legitimate or just slander. He’s a polarizing character, there’s no denying that.

Be sure to share your thoughts about a Wikileaks movie (and please, try to keep them civil) with us in the comments section below.

Source: Deadline

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Paramount Moving Forward With New ‘Pet Sematary’ Movie

There appears to be somewhat of a new Stephen King obsession going on in Hollywood right now. Last September we heard about a huge movie/TV crossover adaptation of King’s epic Dark Tower series; a new movie based on IT has been in the works for almost two years; and just a couple of days ago we heard word of Warner Bros. developing a new film based on King’s beloved book The Stand.

To add to those three we’re going to be getting a new adaptation of one of King’s  beloved novels: Pet Sematary, the book which the author himself regards as his scariest.

We reported on the new new Pet Sematary movie way back in March of last year, with 1408 screenwriter Matthew Greenberg being hired to pen the script. Since then we haven’t heard much about the status of the project… until now.

24 Frames reports of the news that Paramount is moving forward with the new Pet Sematary film, with Greenberg set to turn in a draft of the script soon. It’s noted that this info comes from someone familiar with the project who wasn’t supposed to speak about it publicly. The studio is said to be seeking a high-profile director to helm the film, although no names were specifically mentioned and Paramount declined to comment.

This is, of course, not the first time King’s haunting Pet Sematary has made its way to the big-screen. In 1989 a movie was made from a script King wrote himself and starred Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne and Denise Crosby. It’s certainly not one of the most highly-regarded King films, but I still have memories of it having a very creepy atmosphere. A sequel to that film was made in 1992 with a surprisingly notable cast which included Clancy Brown, Edward Furlong and Anthony Edwards.

Pet Sematary tells the story of a family who moves into a new house but soon discover a mysterious pet cemetery  not far from their new home. What unfolds involves all manner of death-related incidents involving both animals and humans. It’s certainly not for those of you who have a strong fear of cats!

I, for one, am actually okay with this particular remake/new adaptation. The original isn’t exactly the best translation of a King story and in the right hands a lot of very cool and scary things could be done with a new movie. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Greenberg’s adaptation of King’s 1408 and that fact that he wrote the lackluster Halloween H20 doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence.

However, I am personally more interested in who Paramount will pick as a director. Hopefully it’s someone with experience in horror filmmaking who will still steer Pet Sematary in the right direction. I suppose Frank Darabont – writer and director of King-based films like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist – would be too much to hope for?

More on this new version of Pet Sematary as news comes out.

Source: 24 Frames

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David O. Russell Wants Scarlett Johansson For ‘Uncharted’ Movie

It seems most everybody wants Scarlett Johansson (keep reading…) to star in their next film, and David O. Russell is no exception. The Fighter filmmaker is in the midst of developing his Uncharted adaptation and has mentioned the blonde bombshell as being on his wish list to star.

Fans of the original PS3 title Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune have been vocal about their displeasure concerning Russell’s decision to cast Mark Wahlberg or deviate significantly from the game’s plot by adding a family dynamic. Bringing Miss Johansson onboard, however, is one move that’s unlikely to upset them too much.

Uncharted protagonist and treasure-plunderer Nathan Drake (Wahlberg) is accompanied on his adventures by the reporter/journalist Elena Fisher – the role Johansson would play. Miss Fisher is not only a match for Drake in terms of spirit and sheer gusto, but she is also (unrealistically?) capable in combat – and, of course, easy on the eyes. After watching Johansson disassemble a team of security guards with naught but her hands (and thighs) in Iron Man 2, one would be hard pressed to argue that she can’t handle a part like that.

Russell mentioned the Lost in Translation star as someone he’d like to see play Elena while chatting with Empire, and also cited his Fighter actress Amy Adams as another potential candidate – if he gets his way. On the topic of the Uncharted female lead, the offbeat auteur had this to mention as well:

“Ah, Elena. I’ve cultivated her quite a bit and I think I’ve added a lot of dimension to her so that’s all I’m going to say. I love the woman characters and the more robust they are, the more robust the movie … there’s [sic] a lot of greater [actresses] I think might suit. Hopefully, we’ll see how it works out with everybody who are being scoped to do that role…”

Could Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams reunite for 'Uncharted'?

Johansson is currently busy filming Cameron Crowe’s We Bought a Zoo and has The Avengers to tackle soon thereafter, so her immediate availability is limited. The actress has long been rumored as a possibility to star in Lionsgate’s Regency-era splatterfest, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and may still be “loosely attached” to appear in another romance/undead mashup, Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament as well. So the chances that Russell will get her onboard for Uncharted are rather slim right now.

Someone like Adams would also be quite fun to watch play a rough n’ ready gal in the vein of Indiana Jones love interest Marion Ravenwood. The multiple Oscar-nominee shed her cutesy image with her foul-mouthed turn in The Fighter. Would other moviegoers like to see her work with Russell again ?

Wahlberg previously mentioned that Uncharted could begin shooting this summer, but Russell is reportedly also looking into making the comic book flick 2 Guns first. Stay tuned for more information in the near future.

Who do you want to see play Elena in Uncharted?

BONUS: For more info on the Uncharted video game series and the characters that appear in it, head over to Game Rant.

Source: Empire

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‘Captain America’ Tops Super Bowl Movie Trailers List

Whether you watch it for the football or for the commercials, the Super Bowl has become one of most watched events on TV, with over 100 million viewers tuning in last year.

The Super Bowl has become the premier event for companies to display new, clever and often funny ads unveiling their new and upcoming products. In recent years Hollywood too has seized the opportunity to put their movies in front of the very large audience at one time – which is like icing on cake for us dual football/movie fans…

The opportunity doesn’t come cheap either: each 30-second spot this year will run about $3 million – that’s a whopping $12 million for a two-minute trailer!

Despite of the sluggish economy, most major Hollywood studios are taking advantage of the large Super Bowl XLV audience to run trailers for their major tent pole movies releasing this year. It’s an impressive list and, for a few films, this will be their first time showing anywhere. Take a look at the full list below listed by order of theatrical release date. Click on any of the highlighted titles for more information on that particular film:

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 3D (February 14th)Take Me Home Tonight (March 4th)

There’s a staggering amount of potential box office firepower on that list. The pre-game section of movies will air during the pre-game festivities at a steeply discounted rate; the same goes for the after-game section of movies which will air during a post-game episode of Glee.

Notable films missing from this list are X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, Sucker Punch, Fast Five, The Hangover 2, Cars 2, Rise of the Apes, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Conan the Barbarian, Real Steel, The Three Musketeers 3D, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Sherlock Holmes 2.

Even the list of films without commercials is impressive and you can see every film releasing this year in our Massive 2011 Movie Preview. Now most of these movies are still in the process of shooting and most likely don’t have enough footage for a proper trailer, but at the very least some of these potential blockbusters would benefit from having a 30-second spot airing.

The biggest news that accompanies the release of this list is probably the debut of the Captain America: The First Avenger trailer, the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides trailer and the first full trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon. While most people watching the Super Bowl will see these ads for the very first time, film fans and fanboys all know that the full versions could likely hit the web via YouTube or Apple days before the game is actually played.

So keep an eye out between now and February 6th to see if the film you are most excited about this year has a trailer release early.

Do you plan on watching Super Bowl XLV this year for the game, the commercials or the trailers?

Follow us on Twitter for TV and Movie News @Walwus and @ScreenRant

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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Movie Image Roundup: ‘Green Lantern’, ‘Three Musketeers’, ‘Cars 2′ and More [Updated]

[UPDATE: Check out some new hi-res Pirates of the Caribbean 4 images!]

There are over 150 movies releasing in theaters this year and you can get a detailed look at each month’s releases in our Massive 2011 Movie Preview. As the year progresses, we can expect PR departments from various studios to begin ramping up the marketing pushes on all of these films.

One way they build excitement for a film is by releasing still images, which usually consist of behind-the-scenes material, freeze frames from the movie (out of context of course) or occasionally a “cell phone reporter” will snap a picture or two while a film is shooting. Sometimes a studio will just take a Hi-Res still from the latest trailer and call it “new.”

Today we have 26 different images from 11 different films of various styles – some good, some bad, but all interesting. Let’s kick things off with a trio of Green Lantern images.

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WB has been catching a lot of heat for their decision to use an entirely CG Green Lantern suit. What’s odd is that these pictures of Tomar-Re and Sinestro (Mark Strong) in full CG Green Lantern Corp outfits look amazing. Hopefully they will be able to match that quality with Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern outfit when the film releases. The makeup used to increase the size of Peter Sarsgaard’s head to the proportions of evil genius Hector Hammond is quite impressive, though.

Green Lantern hits theaters on June 17th, 2011.

Source:  Cine Heroes (via Coming Soon)

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Johnny Depp hits the high seas again this summer in Pirates of the Caribbean 4, and this time his characters, Captain Jack Sparrow, is on the hunt for the legendary fountain of youth. But of course, things can’t ever go easy for Captain Jack: this time around he has the most feared pirate of the all on his tail: Blackbeard (Ian McShane). If that weren’t enough, Jack has unfinished drama with Blackbeard’s spunky daughter, Angelica (Penelope Cruz), as well as his traitorous first mate, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). In these new hi-res images we see Blackbeard’s wrath, and Captain Jack’s attempts to tip-toe his way to treasure.

CLICK EACH IMAGE FOR A HI-RES VERSION

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides hits theaters on May 20, 2011.

Source: Disney

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Even though The Three Musketeers have been seen onscreen more than two dozen times, director Paul W.S. Anderson has decided to once again update the classic Alexander Dumas tale – in 3D no less. Today we have our first good look at the Musketeers – Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (Luke Evans) – as well as, the intrepid, young and fearless D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman).  Even though they are “updating” the story, Three Musketeers so far appears to have an authentic  17th century look to it.

Three Musketeers will be in theaters on October 14th, 2011.

Source: Summit Entertainment

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Last month we discussed the Worst Belated Sequels in movie history – that is to say a franchise that had too had too much delay between films. Scream 4 could possibly join this list as it’s been 11 years since Scream 3 sliced through theaters – though early screen tests suggest Scream 4 might be good. Most of the original actors and actresses have returned for Scream 4 and below we see Sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and reporter Gale Weathers-Riley (Courtney Cox) together, as well as, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in the familiar position of being attacked by the Ghostface killer.

Scream 4 will be in theaters on April 15th.

Continue to more new movie images…

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Marvel’s Black Panther Movie Has A Writer!

One of Marvel’s key characters who continues to come up in conversations about future Marvel Studios projects is of course, Black Panther, the King of Wakanda known as T’Challa. Alongside Iron Fist, Black Panther is another Marvel license that has been in development hell for years, moving from studio to studio and having talent attached, but never going anywhere.

Another of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s incredible creations, Black Panther has served as a member of The Avengers and the Fantastic Four, representing the first black superhero in mainstream comics. As of today, he’s one official step closer to getting his well-deserved big screen debut.

Heat Vision has the scoop that Marvel Studios has hired Mark Bailey to pen the script for Black Panther. Bailey may be an unknown to you, as his credits only include writing/story-editing positions on a few documentaries, but this indicates to me that he must have some great idea to offer the studio to have landed the writing gig and we at least know he can bring a realistic take on the character in his story.

It was only a matter time before Marvel began moving forward on Black Panther. Comic Book legend Stan Lee and Marvel Pres Kevin Feige have repeatedly stated that this was a character they wished (and planned) to pursue, alongside the likes of Iron Fist, Luke Cage and Dr. Strange. And now that Marvel is about to introduce Captain America and Thor to the world, it’s that time to start moving forward on their second tier characters.

Black Panther is a character I’d love to see show up in an after-the-credits cameo in The Avengers and as a future member of the team. Should Marvel pursue some sort of Civil War-esque story in the future, T’Challa is an integral character in the dynamic between Iron Man and Captain America. More importantly, the character and his backstory, let alone the beautiful setting of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, allows Marvel to create a very unique and special superhero film.

Could previously rumored and interested Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje or Djimon Hounsou still be contenders for the title role? Who would you cast as T’Challa?

Share your thoughts in the comments and with us on Twitter @rob_keyes and @screenrant.

The Avengers is scheduled to debut May 4, 2012 and we’ll let you know what comes next.

Source: THR

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Movie Poster Roundup: Paul, Thor, Hobo with a Shotgun, and More

Everybody loves to look at movie posters (or one-sheets as they are sometimes called in the movie industry) and a well-crafted poster can make or break the buzz for an upcoming film.

Sometimes the poster predominantly features one character from the film or perhaps it depicts the story or plot in an artsy and unique way. Regardless of which direction the marketing department for a film chooses, a poster should either be intriguing, sexy, funny or cool – and it can’t hurt to combine all four.

Today we have wide selection of movie posters from a very diverse selection of films – excellent fan-made art for movies yet to begin filming, horror films with a sexy twist, summer blockbusters, and even a campy SyFy Channel film. No matter what your taste in movie posters may be, we are sure to have something for every movie buff to enjoy. Let’s start off with some fantastic fan-made art.

Undoubtedly director Christopher Nolan’s third installment of his hugely successful Batman trilogy will be one of the most anticipated films of 2012. Casting for The Dark Knight Rises is still underway so there hasn’t been an official poster released yet – but that hasn’t deterred some very talented and creative fans from making their own. Graphic designer Josh Gilbert put together the teaser poster below. Be sure to check out the rest of his work at Shokxone Studios.

Click HERE for a Hi-Res version

Source: Shokxone Studios via Film School Rejects

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Even though TRON:Legacy made it onto our Most Disappointing Films of 2010 the film still had some redeeming qualities. While the story won’t win any awards, the SFX were amazing – as was Daft Punk’s blazing electronic score. Graphic designer Josh Gilbert (yes, the same guy from above) seems to agree with us – since he made the fake Oscar-bid poster below, nominating Daft Punk for Best Original Score. Somebody needs to hire this guy because his work is creative and fun to look at.

Click HERE for a Hi-Res version

Source: Shokxone Studios via Film School Rejects

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There isn’t a whole lot to say about Jason Eisner’s upcoming Grindhouse spin-off Hobo with a Shotgun starring Rutger Hauer. It’s a movie about a hobo – with shotgun – shooting people – and some guy dressed as a knight riding a motorcycle makes an appearance. The red band trailer and all of the images we’ve seen make the film look like off-the-wall campy fun – and hopefully it will deliver.

Click Here for a Hi-Res version

Source: IGN

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It’s too bad this special limited edition poster was only given to the cast and crew of the movie Thor because its minimalist art deco style is very cool – and would look good hanging on the wall of any film buff. At first director Kenneth Branagh seemed to be an odd choice to helm the project but after watching the first trailer a lot of those fanboy “fears” seemed to have been quelled. Thor stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman and Ray Stevenson.

Source: Sci Fi Wire

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Kiefer Sutherland Talks Web Drama ‘The Confession’; ’24′ Movie Updates

Jan 15, 2011 by Niall Browne 

Kiefer Sutherland stars in a new 10 part web-based action drama called ‘The Confession.’ The star also talks about the development of the ’24' movie.

Keifer Sutherland is set to star in a new action web-series called The Confession from Digital Broadcasting Group. The 24 star is also the creator of the ten episode series, which was written and directed by Brad Mirman, and co-stars John Hurt. The series premieres on Hulu in March.

The actor is also talking about the current state of the film spin-off of 24 - delivering news that the project is far from dead!

Each episode of  The Confesssion will be five to seven minutes long, and the plot centers on a hit-man confessing his sins to a priest on a snowy Christmas Eve. The story features flashbacks as the hit-man tells the priest how he came to visit him, climaxing with a twist. You can check out the teaser for the series here.

Sutherland talked to EW about the genesis of the series:

“It came about in such a different way. I was meeting a couple friends of mine, who wanted to introduce me to Chris Young (CEO of Digital Broadcasting Group). I know so little about the internet, but that’s what a lot of friends do for work. Most of that stuff being produced for the internet is comedy, very much like Jackass kind of material, which is great but didn’t appeal to me. Chris started talking about wanting to do a drama, but his criteria was so different. A drama in five-minute episodes! It was one of those things, like a puzzle over the course of the lunch. It can’t be that complicated to figure out a story in five minutes, right? I couldn’t, and it frustrated the crap out of me. So I went home that night, still thinking about it, and it stayed with me for three days. I was falling asleep when I literally got this idea of a confessional.”

The star shot the film last month in New York, but he stated that it was difficult, and far from the luxury of a typical Hollywood production:

“We called on a lot of favors. A dollar is a dollar. It gets you what you get. There’s no way around that, so you’re phoning dear friends for favors. None of us were paid what we normally get paid. Everybody found their own challenge in it, and that was the reason to do it. All of us believe very strongly that the internet is the future, the largest network in world, with the ability to reach a big audience.”

The series, has an interesting (if maybe clichéd) premise, and it might just be the thing that takes web-based entertainment to the next level. While the internet is filled with great comedy and some interesting horror material, it hasn’t really broken through to the mainstream . So could Sutherland’s attachment to such a project legitimize it as a form of entertainment for the masses?

It’s hard to say, at this juncture, but the main problem with a project of this kind (as stated by Sutherland in the above quote) is the length of each episode. It will be difficult to build drama in five minutes, and then sustain it over a ten episode story arc that will make viewers come back each week. It could be that viewers will just want to watch the series in its collected form, avoiding the film-makers initial intention.

As to returning to the role of Jack Bauer, Sutherland stated that there is still hope that a film version of 24 might just make it to the screen – despite the news that the recent script for project had been rejected by Fox. The gravel voiced actor said:

“We have a couple ideas we are working on that we are very excited about. 24 was a lot of work, it certainly had its ups and downs. But for so many reasons, it was one of the great experiences of my life. I miss the daily grind of it, which I was surprised about because that’s the one thing you complain about all the time. Be careful what you ask for!”

He went on to call the project “the little engine that could” and said that although State of Play writer Billy Ray’s script hadn’t met expectations, some of the material would still be used:

“Billy did a fantastic job and there are aspects of that story [that will remain]. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

So fans of Kiefer Sutherland and 24 can rejoice. Not only will the former Lost Boy be making an apperance on a hard drive near you with The Confession, but it looks like there is still a chance that you’ll be able to see Jack Bauer on the big screen.

Source: Indie Wire & EW

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Jerry Bruckheimer Reveals ‘Lone Ranger’ Movie Logo

It’s been a couple of months since we’ve talked about Disney’s Lone Ranger here at Screen Rant. Unfortunately, with the project still off in the horizon, there isn’t much to say. Luckily, producer Jerry Bruckheimer gave us something new to chew on this week.

Bruckheimer shared a message on Twitter directing his followers to his new official website where he has information on all of his projects from the big screen to the small screen. One of the projects on the website was Disney’s Lone Ranger (hat tip to Bleeding Cool for investigating).

While there wasn’t much there for the movie, which only recently added Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) as its director, there was a new logo for the film, as well as some additional art.  Check out the logo below. Note that Bruckheimer’s site said “Official Artwork Coming” so it’s unclear if this is the “Official” logo or not. Either way, it’s kind of cool and evocative of the original series.

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In addition to the black and white logo, there were also a couple of small pictures on Bruckheimer’s site. One of them shows the same logo, but in color, and the other is an all text version using that old-timey Western font that we all like so much. Check out the additional images below.

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Lone Ranger is something of a mystery to me. Jerry Bruckheimer is producing, Gore Verbinski is directing, and Johnny Depp is the star (even though he’s playing the sidekick character, Tonto), so you know it’s going to be a pretty big project. And yet, despite the high-profile names attached to the movie, I feel like we know very little about it – other than the fact that they dropped “The” from the title .

When you’re dealing with beloved properties like Lone Ranger, you must tread with care. Then again, 99.9% of the target market that this movie is aimed at won’t be familiar with the original Lone Ranger radio series, or the 1950s television series, so maybe it’s a moot point. In any case, it’s a neat logo for a movie that will probably do major business once they finally get around to making it.

Source: Jerry Bruckheimer’s Website (via Bleeding Cool)

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Alien Prequel Now An Original Movie Titled ‘Prometheus’ With Noomi Rapace

Jan 14, 2011 by Rob Keyes 

Ridley Scott’s heavily speculated prequel(s) to ‘Alien’ is now an original sci-fi work titled ‘Prometheus,’ starring Noomi Rapace. Does it take place in the Alien universe?

Breaking News: Twentieth Century Fox just sent out the most significant and unexpected update regarding Ridley Scott’s long-awaited Alien prequel. As it turns out, it’s no longer a prequel, sequel or any other sort of Alien franchise installment. Instead, Ridley Scott’s next major sci-fi project will be an original flick titled Prometheus.

Many actors have been rumored to be contending for a lead role in Scott’s Alien prequel but with the official announcement of the film’s title, and its confirmed release date, growing star Noomi Rapace has signed to star as one of the five main characters of Prometheus.

A literal buzz topic on the interwebs, Rapace has quickly earned well-deserved fame and attention for her critically acclaimed performance as the star of the original adaptation of The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo. Rapace has been sought for many starring roles in Hollywood ever since, and was previously reported as a leading candidate for the part in this film.

As for how the new film idea came about, screenwriter Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour) had originally penned the prequel’s script, working with Scott. Since then, Damon Lindelof (Lost) has been working with him to reshape the screenplay into an original work. Lindelof had this to say about working with his idol on the project:

“In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley’s vision was for this movie. It’s daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true.”

As for what this film will be about, Scott explains that his imagination allowed him to get creative with the bigger picture of the Alien mythology, seemingly hinting that this may be some sort of spin-off.

“While ‘Alien’ was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of ‘Alien’s’ DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn’t be more pleased to have found the singular tale I’d been searching for, and finally return to this genre that’s so close to my heart.”

This does confirm that the film is not titled “Paradise” as previously rumored and what we found out from the studio about it being only one film, instead of two.

Details on what the story will be about and what Alien elements will or will not be used are under lock and key, but with the press release also came the release date for Prometheus which is officially scheduled to hit theaters March 9, 2012.

Are you happy, confused or disappointed that Prometheus will not be a prequel to Alien?

Tell us your thoughts on this through Twitter @rob_keyes and @screenrant.

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‘Winter’s Bone’ Director Involved With ‘Pippi Longstocking’ Movie

Who better to bring one of children literature’s most famous heroines, Pippi Longstocking, back to the big screen than an acclaimed filmmaker whose previous project revolved around a fiercely independent young woman who courageously confronts drug-smugglers and other unscrupulous types in order to protect her family?

Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone) may not seem quite the perfect fit to adapt Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s red-haired creation at first glance, but the writer/director has taken on the job and is currently working on a new Pippi Longstocking movie.

In a recent LA Times article that covered the evolution of traditionally dumbed-down female characters in movies – and highlighted Winter’s Bone along with True Grit as films that bucked this trend – there was a bit of information about a new Pippi Longstocking pic being in the works. It seems that Granik and her Winter’s Bone co-writer/producer Anne Rosellini are currently penning a treatment for the children’s literature adaptation – however, there’s no word yet about whether the pair will actually write the screenplay or if Granik has plans to direct.

For those not familiar with the character, Pippi Longstocking is a nine-year-old girl with fiery red hair and pigtails that stick out horizontally. A slightly more realistic female counterpart to Peter Pan, Pippi possesses superhuman strength (she can lift her horse with one hand), lives in an unusual house called Villa Villekulla with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and is a irrepressibly free spirit who delights in giving pompous and condescending adults their comeuppance. Sidebar – the late Stieg Larsson envisioned the character of Lisbeth Salander (a.k.a. the titular lead in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) as a grown-up version of Miss Longstocking.

Pippi Longstocking - then and now.

A number of capable young female characters in literature have made the jump to the big screen in recent years. Besides Ree Dolly from Winter’s Bone and Mattie Ross in True Grit, there’s also Hermione in the Harry Potter films; a more battle-ready Alice that appeared in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; and 16-year-old Katnis Everdeen will fight for her life in the upcoming adaptation of The Hunger Games as well. That’s not to forget the most deadly adolescent from literature (yes, comic books count) who leapt off the big screen last year – Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass.

It’s a pleasant change of pace to see that there are more teenage female characters in movies who actively take control of their destiny, are able to handle themselves in dangerous circumstances without assistance – and whose lives involve more than just romance (Bella from Twilight, looking at you). What better time for Miss Longstocking to make her return to theaters than now?

We’ll keep you updated on the development of the new Pippi Longstocking movie as more news is released.

Source: LA Times (via Vulture)

Header Image Art by Sarah Mensinga

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Movie Poster Roundup: ‘Green Hornet’, ‘Sucker Punch’, ‘Thor’

A sleek black automobile that’s been enhanced with machine guns, rocket launchers, and beanie bag throwers (you read that correctly); gorgeous young women armed to the teeth for combat; and a big, blonde, bearded superhuman carrying his deadly hammer are on display in today’s movie poster roundup.

There’s a new one-sheet for this week’s release, The Green Hornet; an elaborate banner for Zack Snyder’s upcoming Sucker Punch; and a French poster for the comic book flick that will kick off the Summer 2011 movie season, Thor, to check out as well.

Director Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet gets the honor of being the first anticipated tentpole pic to be released in 2011 (sorry, Season of the Witch). Evan Goldberg co-wrote the radio serial/TV show/comic book movie adaptation with his Superbad pal Seth Rogen, who also stars as the Green Hornet (a.k.a., playboy Britt Reid). Asian pop star Jay Chou takes over Bruce Lee’s iconic role as Kato, the brains and brawn behind the Hornet and his operation to fight crime in the streets of Los Angeles.

Recent clips and TV spots have done a good job highlighting the stylish action scenes from Green Hornet (specifically, the “Kato Vision” combat sequences), promoting the movie as mostly just a fast and fun popcorn flick. The film attracted a fair amount of negative buzz back in mid-2010, but recent word of mouth has been much more positive (check back here on Friday to read our verdict).

The Green Hornet and Kato get to wreak havoc on the streets of L.A., thanks to their virtually indestructible and technologically-advanced ride, the Black Beauty. Have a look at the damage left in the vehicle’s wake in the Green Hornet poster (via IMP Awards) below:

There’s a good chance you were more interested in admiring the snazzy visual design of the images or footage released for Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch than actually bothering to find out what exactly the film’s plot is. For those who want to know, here’s the basic gist of said plot:

She has been locked away against her will, but Babydoll (Emily Browning) has not lost her will to survive.  Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four other young girls—the outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), the street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), the fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung) and the reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish)—to band together and try to escape their terrible fate at the hands of their captors, Blue (Oscar Isaac), Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) and the High Roller (Jon Hamm).

These girls’ attempts to escape their cruel captors is brought to life via vivid fantasy sequences that pit the leather-and-fishnet-clad ladies against samurai, deadly soldiers, fire-breathing dragons, and giant mechanical monsters. Sucker Punch may not have the most well-developed or layered of storylines, but Snyder knows how to create beautiful visuals and stunning action – so that definitely works in the film’s favor.

Check out the new Sucker Punch banner below:

(CLICK FOR LARGER VERSION)
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Son of Odin and owner of the all-too-cool silver hammer Mjolnir (not Maxwell – kudos for getting this joke), Thor makes the jump to the big screen this summer, under the direction of Shakespeare lover Kenneth Branagh. The film adaptation of the mythological tale-turned-Stan Lee comic book stars Chris Hemsworth as the titular blonde bruiser, who is cast down to live amongst the mortals on Earth after his dad (Anthony Hopkins) tires of his arrogance and thoughtless action.

An official trailer for Thor was released just over a month ago and fans were overall quite receptive to the footage on display – more so than they were after watching the preview for another comic book flick, Green Lantern (for more on that subject, see our Thor vs. Green Lantern trailer showdown).

This new French poster for the film only features the all-mighty Thor in the flesh, but there’s still something cool about the image of Hemsoworth, dressed up in futuristic armor and gazing out dramatically into the distance as his red cape flaps in the wind – we all know it’s true.

Check out the French one-sheet (via CloneWeb and Fantasy.fr) below:

The Green Hornet roars into regular, 3D, and IMAX 3D theaters around the U.S. this Friday, January 14th.

Sucker Punch blasts its way into theaters on March 25th, 2011.

Thor arrives in 2D and 3D theaters on May 6th, 2011.

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: January 9th 2011

This week:

The box office shows True Grit, while Season of the Witch fails to cast a spell over audiences; Will Smith and Brett Ratner are Wheeler Dealers; Diego Luna and Lukas Haas get caught with Contraband; we travel back to the 60s using Pan Am and when we get there we meet a Playboy in the Magic City; Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and John Goodman are Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eminem commits Random Acts of Violence.

Box Office

The Coen brothers and Jeff Bridges have shown some true grit and determination with their latest effort… er… True Grit. This seems to have paid off because, according to estimates, the western has taken the top spot at the box office – defeating nearest rival Little Fockers. The remake of the John Wayne film (if that’s what you want to call it) banked $15 million over the weekend, upping its total to $110 million.

Little Fockers dropped to second place after scoring another $13.7 million. The total gross of the Ben Stiller/ Robert De Niro face-off flick is now $123.9 million.

The much maligned (and delayed) Season of the Witch (read our review) opened at number three with a gross of $10.7 million. It’s not as bad of an opening as some predicted – but it could have been a lot better considering Nicolas Cage’s star-power. Having said that, the man has been making films like they’re going out of fashion, so maybe audiences are getting Cage fatigue.

Tron: Legacy upped its cume to $147 million after grossing another $9.8 million. Meanwhile, Black Swan banked another $8.3 million and brought its total up to over $61 million.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest Country Strong brought in $7.3 million over the weekend. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but ponder the fact that it’s only playing in about half as many theatres as Season of the Witch.

The Fighter punched up another $7 million, upping its total to $57.8 million – this should grow if it bags a few of those predicted Oscar nominations.

The King’s Speech talked its total up to $33 million. The historical drama brought in another $6.8 million over the weekend.

The top ten was rounded out by Yogi Bear and Tangled. Yogi scored another $6.8 million, while the Disney film brought in a smidgen over $5 million. Their totals stand at $75 million and $175 million respectively.

Movie News

1. Paramount Pictures has just sealed the deal on Wheeler Dealers.

According to Deadline:

“It’s based on the true story of a group of Miami twenty-somethings who landed a $300 million Pentagon contract to acquire massive stockpiles of old Chinese ammunition that wound up being sent to supply the Afghan army.”

Michael Lerner will write the script for Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment and Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment.

Will it be a comedy,drama, or an action film? Time will tell.

Source: Deadline

2. Diego Luna and Lukas Haas have joined the cast of Mark Wahlberg’s Contraband.

Baltasar Kormákur’s directs the smuggling drama, which is a remake of his own Icelandic thriller Reykjavik-Rotterdam.

Kate Beckinsale, Giovani Ribisi, and Ben Foster also star in the film.

Source: What’s Playing

3. The success of Mad Men means that 60s-set dramas are now “all the rage.”

NBC has given the nod for the pilot for Playboy, according to Variety:

“The hour-long drama is set in the frisky world of 1960s Playboy clubs. Chad Hodge (Tru Calling) wrote the script, which focuses on a group of women working as Playboy bunnies in the New York club. Playboy will use that as a jumping-off point to explore the nation’s changing mores and the coming sexual revolution.”

Playboy isn’t the only new drama set in the swinging 60s. Variety also says that:

“Starz recently gave a 10-episode order to the 1960s Miami series Magic City, while ABC is developing Pan Am, centering on the airline’s wild crew in the 1960s.”

I hope that these people realize that what made Mad Men a hit was the quality of the show, and not just the period setting.

Source: Variety

4. John Goodman has joined the cast of Stephen Daldry’s adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The former Roseanne star joins Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks in the film which is sure to be Oscar bait.

“The drama centers on Oskar, a 10-year old boy who loses his father (Hanks) in the Sept. 11 attacks and goes on a cathartic journey to deal with his loss. He scours New York for information relating to the lock-box key box left behind by his father and meets an assortment of people along the way — each dealing with their own forms of grief and loss that connect and parallel his own.”

Source: THR

5. Nine years ago rap superstar Eminem made his movie debut in Curtis Hanson’s Oscar-winning 8 Mile. Despite a huge gross and critical acclaim, he didn’t seem interested in repeating that success – until now.

The rapper is set to star in Random Acts of Violence for 20th Century Fox, which is said to “center on an ex-con just released from prison who is trying to stay on the right side of the law despite pressure from his former comrades. At the same time, the FBI is trying to recruit him to bring down the syndicate.”

David Von Ancken, the director of the underrated Pierce Brosnan/Liam Neeson western Seraphim Falls and multiple episodes of Californication will direct the film.

A spokesperson for Eminem said:

“Eminem’s producing team, including his manager Paul Rosenberg, have been developing this project for some time. Everyone involved hopes that it comes to fruition and the film goes into production, but as of right now nothing is set in stone and there is no firm start date.”

Source: THR

That’s it for now. See you at the movies.

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Screen Rant’s (Massive) 2011 Movie Preview

2011 is here and movie geeks are especially excited, as the year twenty-eleven promises some highly anticipated films of the sci-fi and superhero persuasion, as well as some animated sequels, promising awards season art house entries, and even a (strange? timely?) new sub-genre in the rom-com category: the sex buddy comedy.

We take a look at the movies of 2011 (we lost count, but we’ve listed about 150 films!) that will be occupying our weekends at the theater this year. We’ll also keep this post updated as release dates are shifted and new movies are added to the calender, so be sure to bookmark this post for future reference.

For your convenience, we’ve separated the 2011 movie releases into the the months of the year. Be sure to check back each month for the latest on the movies that will be at theaters near you. We’ll keep things current with new images, casting news, release date shifts and late additions. January is listed on this page and you can click any one of the links below to jump to a specific month.

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14th-century knights (Nic Cage, Ron Perlman) transport a suspected witch to a monastery, where monks deduce her powers could be the source of the Black Plague.

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A drama centered on a rising country-music songwriter (Garrett Hedlund) who sparks with a fallen star (Gwyneth Paltrow). Together, they mount his ascent and her comeback, which leads to romantic complications involving her husband/manager (Tim McGraw) and a beauty queen-turned-singer (Leighton Meester).

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Vincent Burton is the best science teacher at Liberty High School until he falls for his prize student Katie Anderson. When the relationship takes a scandalous turn, Vincent’s loyal twin brother Oscar, fresh home from prison, decides to help Vincent avoid doing hard time and does anything he can to take care of anyone who has knowledge of the relationship. The local Sheriff starts hunting Oscar and the game of cat and mouse has the whole town involved.

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By night, debonair newspaper publisher Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) fights crime as a masked superhero known as The Green Hornet. At his side is martial arts expert Kato (Jay Chou), who teams with The Hornet to bring down ruthless crime boss, Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz).

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A man discovers that his best friend’s wife is having an affair. Ron Howard directs, Vince Vaughn, Jeniffer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Kevin James, Queen Latifah and Channing Tatum star.

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Life for a happy couple (Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart) is turned upside down after their young son dies in an accident. Based on a play by David Lindsay-Abaire.

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The picaresque and touching story of the politically incorrect, fully lived life of the impulsive, irascible and fearlessly blunt Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti). Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Scott Speedman and Dustin Hoffman co-star.

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A subversive tale that interlaces five stories set in Los Angeles, where no taboo is left unexplored as each character careens toward a dark and often comic fate. Zoe Saldana, Dylan McDermott, Jamie Chung, Rosamund Pike, Nick Stahl, Paz Vega, Lake Bell and Shannon Doherty star.

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Ong Bak 3 picks up where Ong Bak 2 left off. Tien (Tony Jaa) is captured and almost beaten to death before he is saved and brought back to the Kana Khone villagers. There he is taught meditation and how to deal with his Karma, but very soon his arch rival returns challenging Tien for a final duel.

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A guy and girl (Ashton Kutcher, Natalie Portman) try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

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A fact-based story centered on soldiers who escaped from a Siberian gulag in 1940. Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan and Mark Strong star.

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The story centers on a year in the life of three men (trying to survive a round of corporate downsizing at a major company) – and how it affects them, their families, and their communities. Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones and Maria Bello star.

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A Latina spin on Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility,” where two spoiled sisters who have been left penniless after their father’s sudden death are forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles.

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An elite hit man (Jason Statham) teaches his trade to an apprentice (Ben Foster) who has a connection to one of his previous victims.

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An American priest travels to Italy to study at an exorcism school and gets caught up in a case of suppossed demonic possession. Ciarán Hinds, Anthony Hopkins, Alice Braga, Toby Jones and Rutger Hauer star.

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This is a story of a man in free fall. On the road to redemption, darkness lights his way. Connected with the afterlife, Uxbal (Javier Bardem) is a tragic hero and father of two who’s sensing the danger of death. He struggles with a tainted reality and a fate that works against him in order to forgive, for love, and forever.

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The sequel follows on Ip Man’s migration to Hong Kong in 1949 as he attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun martial arts.

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A drama centered on a woman with Alzheimer’s in search of new meaning through poetry.

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Seth and Jonah are twins with a dangerous ability. Telekinesis. Things start to spiral out of their control as their classmates end up dying in twisted and bizarre ways. The police suspect them. But, jealousy begins to divide them and soon they can no longer trust each other. Leading up to a horrific battle between themselves.

Continue to February 2011 movies…

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