Joseph Gordon-Levitt directs and stars in official trailer for Don Jon

Posted by Craig Kell on May 23, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

After making it big in 2012 with crucial blockbuster roles in The Dark Knight Rises and Looper, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has elevated himself to Hollywood stardom.

This year sees Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun, Inception) also make his directional debut as he helms and stars alongside the beautiful Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, The Avengers) in the upcoming rom-com Don Jon which has unveiled its first trailer.

The film sees Gordon-Levitt play Jon Martello, a ladies man obsessed with porn who decides to become less selfish and more honest when it comes to love after he embarks on a relationship with the attractive Barbara Sugarman (Johansson).

Oscar-nominee Julianne Moore (Magnolia, Far From Heaven), Tony Danza (Taxi, Who’s the Boss?) and Brie Larson (Mad Men, Community) also star in the saucy-looking comedy.

The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, is scheduled for release in the UK on November 15th.

Source: YOUTUBE

Clive Owen mixes crime with family in first trailer for Blood Ties

Posted by Craig Kell on May 22, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

Though his acting career has been quiet in recent years, British actor Clive Owen is back to tackling a lead role as he stars in the upcoming crime-drama Blood Ties.

The gritty-looking thriller, which is directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Guillaume Canet (The Beach, Last Night), has unveiled its first trailer.

Set in 1970s Brooklyn, Owen (Sin City, Children of Men) stars as a man who is released from prison after spending several years doing time for a gangland killing. However his return causes problems with several members of his family including his younger brother and his ex-wife.

Billy Crudrup (Almost Famous, Watchmen) co-stars as Owen’s brother with Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose, The Dark Knight Rises) playing the ex-wife. Fellow Hollywood beauties Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Ted) and Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Avatar) also appear in the film alongside with Cotillard’s Rust and Bone co-star Matthias Schoenaerts as well as veteran actor James Caan (The Godfather, Misery).

The film will be Canet’s first English-language production and is currently being shown out on competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

It will be released later this year though no official date has been confirmed.

Source: YOUTUBE

Seth MacFarlane NOT returning to host 2014 Oscars

Posted by Craig Kell on May 21, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

After causing controversy with his hosting of the 85th Annual Academy Awards back in February, Seth MacFarlane has finally announced that he WON’T be coming back to host the 2014 ceremony.

The flamboyant creator of Family Guy, American Dad and Ted revealed on Twitter that he was unable to repeat his role as host because of a busy schedule.

“Traumatized critics exhale: I’m unable to do the Oscars again. Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep. However, I highly recommend the job, as Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are two of the most talented producers in the business. My suggestion for host is Joaquin Phoenix”

The news is bound to disappoint fans of MacFarlane’s dark humour especially with sketches like this:

The big question now is who producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will go for next? Early speculation is suggesting former pop star turned actor Justin Timberlake while chat show host Jimmy Fallon has also been talked about.

Personally I would like to see former actor/host Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Les Miserables) return to do it after his impressive all-round performance in 2009. Please try to bring him home Oscars!

Source: TWITTER

Round-up of this week’s Film News 14/05 – 20/05

Posted by Craig Kell on May 20, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

  • Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams star in first trailer for Richard Curtis’s About Time – YOUTUBE
  • James Franco directs and stars in teaser trailer for As I Lay Dying – YOUTUBE
  • Hailee Steinfeld joins Sam Worthington in action-thriller For the Dogs – DEADLINE
  • First image of Daniel Radcliffe in The F Word is revealed – DIGITAL SPY
  • Nicolas Winding Refn’s remake of Logan’s Run is put on hold – SCREEN DAILY
  • Iron Man 3 writer Drew Pearce to pen Mission Impossible 5 script – THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
  • Christoph Waltz joins Robert De Niro in The Candy Store – DEADLINE
  • Star Trek composer Michael Giacchino to score Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - TWITTER
  • First images of Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell in Miss Julie are revealed – SCREEN DAILY
  • On-set photos of Harry Hill and Julie Walters filming The Harry Hill Movie are unveiled – DIGITAL SPY
  • Sony wins distribution rights for Angry Birds film – THE TELEGRAPH
  • Jena Malone and Martin Short sign up for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice – THE WRAP
  • Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon also cast in Inherent Vice – DEADLINE
  • Hugo stars Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz to star in The White Circus – VARIETY
  • Vin Diesel reprises his leading role as Riddick in first trailer for Riddick – YOUTUBE
  • Joel Edgerton to star in The Black Mass with Johnny Depp AND The Double Hour with Michelle Williams – DEADLINE
  • Sylvester Stallone confirms return for Mickey Rourke in The Expendables 3 – TWITTER
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II – The Green Destiny to film in March 2014 – DIGITAL SPY
  • Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline go wild in teaser trailer for Last Vegas – YOUTUBE
  • Assassin’s Creed: The Movie set for 2015 release – IGN
  • Will Ferrell returns as Ron Burgandy in teaser trailer for Anchorman 2 – YOUTUBE
  • Iron Man 3 passes $1 billion mark – COMIC BOOK

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) – ★★★★

Posted by Craig Kell on May 15, 2013
Posted in: Film Reviews. Leave a Comment

“Your commanders have committed a crime I cannot forgive. None of you are safe. Have I got your attention now?”

DIRECTOR: J.J ABRAMS
STARRING: Chris PINE, Zachary QUINTO, Zoe SALDANA, Benedict CUMBERBATCH, Karl URBAN, John CHO, Anton YELCHIN, Simon PEGG, Alice EVE

Back in 2009, cinematic visionary J.J Abrams helped to reinvent the Star Trek franchise with his acclaimed reboot which allowed fans to embrace Kirk, Spock and co again after some previous big-screen disappointments. This caught the eye of Star Wars creator George Lucas as he decided to hand over directing duties to the talented filmmaker for Disney’s hugely-anticipated sequel to the ‘other’ sci-fi phenomenon, Star Wars: Episode VII. But while this has caused uproar amongst die-hard Trekkie fans, Abrams is continuing to stay loyal to Star Trek as he helms the reboot’s thrilling follow-up Into Darkness which boldly goes into hostile territory as our heroes come up against a sinister new foe…..

Following a successful yet recklessness mission on the planet Nibiru, Kirk (Pine) and Spock (Quinto) are punished by Starfleet Headquarters for their lack of judgement. However their predicament is changed by the arrival of a new threat in the shape of rebellious terrorist John Harrison (Cumberbatch) as he reins destruction on London as well as causing the death of one of the Enterprise’s own. Seeking revenge, Kirk leads his crew in pursuit of Harrison, armed with 72 proton torpedoes as they land on the Klingon planet of Kronos. The dangerous quest results in the capture of Harrison who soon reveals his reasoning behind the attacks. However it also clear that Starfleet may have had a part to play in his mission as the Enterprise crew find themselves facing a battle to survive when the ship is placed in peril.

Star Wars fans can feel very fortunate that they have a masterful director like J.J Abrams when it comes to making the new installment in 2015. His awareness of the Star Trek legacy and the way he handles it is all played out immaculately in this exhilarating sequel as he keeps us on edge right from the word ‘go’. The opening rescue mission near enough echoes the intensity of the previous film’s dramatic introduction as we find ourselves back in this futuristic universe which is carefully detailed to resemble the classic television series. The makeup remains imaginative despite the absence of the Oscar-winning trio who contributed to the original’s work though composer Michael Giacchino is back with his stirring musical score which conveys the film’s running emotions whether they be the thrills or the subtly of calmer scenes. The blockbuster starts in a flurry of action and cruises through its pacy running time with no shortage of stunning visual effects. The visual effect scenes are choreographed with precision (lens flares intact as well) ranging from the battle on Kronos to the breathless crash sequence that takes place in the film’s dramatic climax. But there are also some old-school references to former Star Trek adventures which will please Trekkie’s including the return of the Klingons as well as one iconic character whose name is shared with one of the franchise’s most famous quotes. Once again though, it is the rich character arcs that work out well here as demonstrated in the previous edition. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are both able to settle back into their respective roles with ease with Pine capturing the true leadership qualities of Kirk especially with the dedication shown towards his crew. Quinto continues to shine as he plays his scenes off nicely with Pine through their humourous exchanges but at the same time their characters share an emotional connection which comes from their reluctance to accept survival. The other supporting individuals are balanced out better in this film with both Karl Urban as the paranoid Bones and Simon Pegg as the witty Scotty given more to do as they function greatly in the plot but still manage to keep their wisecracking roots that bring the laughs. However it is newcomer Benedict Cumberbatch who steals the show as he keeps us in trance with his manipulative role as John Harrison. At times, we are left questioning whether he is actually a bad guy especially when helping Kirk half-way in the film only for him to strike in the most terrifying and gruesome way imaginable for a 12A rated blockbuster. How we could even trust him prior to his burst of ruthlessness when he reveals his real name shows just how wrong-footed we really were.

But while I may not be a proper Trekkie, I have since found out that some of the narrative here is borrowed from one of the previous Trek efforts; Wrath of Khan (1982). Certain scenes from that film are replicated in this one and while it works at times, you could argue that it feels like a rehash of the cult classic. It is even more disappointing that Harrison’s true identity was spoiled in the media prior to the film’s release as it feels anti-climatic once everything is revealed (even though it didn’t stop me enjoying it!). There is also an underwhelming focus on the female characters with Zoe Saldana’s Uhrua merely reduced to the background as she spends her time arguing with Spock and only figures in one important moment at Kronos. Just as unnoticeable is the sweet Alice Eve in her role as newcomer Carol Marcus as she rebels against her corrupted Admiral father (played by Peter ‘Robocop’ Weller) but their relationship lacks any dynamic. And yes, that underwear shot doesn’t have any importance other than to attract more male fans!

VERDICT: The force is strong with J.J Abrams as he manages to better his previous take on Star Trek with this audacious and sublime sequel which proves just why the Star Wars people signed him up. It’s not surprising that the Trekkie’s are concerned….

Round-up of this week’s Film News 07/05 – 13/05

Posted by Craig Kell on May 13, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

  • Al Pacino drops out of Despicable Me 2 because of creative differences – DEADLINE
  • Visual effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen dies aged 92 – FACEBOOK
  • Andrew Garfield and Ken Watanabe join Martin Scorsese’s Silence – VARIETY
  • Warner Bros planning Dungeons and Dragons reboot – DEADLINE
  • Divergent sequel already in development – DEADLINE
  • Teaser trailer is released for [REC] 4: Apocalypse – DIGITAL SPY
  • Jurassic Park 4 production is put on hold – AIN’T IT COOL?
  • Stepford Wives director Bryan Forbes dies aged 86 – BBC NEWS
  • Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden cast as prince in Disney’s Cinderella – THE GUARDIAN
  • First poster of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is unveiled – DIGITAL SPY
  • 300: Rise of an Empire and All You Need is Kill delayed till 2014 – SCREEN RANT
  • Pele film biopic in the works – SHORTLIST
  • Star Wars: Episode VII  to film in the UK – STAR WARS OFFICIAL WEBSITE
  • We get a first glimpse of Paul Giamatti as the Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – VIBE

Olivia Colman wins twice on night of shocks at TV BAFTAs

Posted by Craig Kell on May 13, 2013
Posted in: Television Articles. Leave a Comment

While some may have found Oscar season anti-climatic with their predictable choices (*cough* Argo *cough*), there was plenty of surprising wins at last night’s TV BAFTAs as the love was shared between different productions.

The immensely-talented Olivia Colman was the biggest success of the evening as she landed two gongs for her acting in two different genres.

Firstly she won Best Supporting Actress for her role as a mother who avenges her son’s death at the hands of a gang in Accused: Mo’s Story. She beat off the likes of Sarah Lancashire (Last Tango in Halifax) and Imelda Staunton (The Girl).

Her second victory came in the Best Female Performance in a Comedy category for her humourous turn in Twenty Twelve. She overcome her co-star Jessica Hynes as well as Miranda Hart (Miranda). The programme itself was also named Best Situation Comedy (upsetting the final series of The Thick of It).

There were also a mixture of personal disappointments as Accused: Tracie’s Story missed on acting wins for stars Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. Bean lost Best Actor to Ben Whishaw for his role in Richard II: The Hollow Crown while Graham was beaten in Supporting Actor by another Hollow Crown performer Simon Russell Beale in Henry IV Part II.

However the historical series failed to clinch the Best Single Drama award which instead went to Murder. Last Tango in Halifax secured the Best Drama Series ahead of Ripper Street, Scott and Bailey and Silk.

Sheridan Smith was a pleasant surprise in the Best Actress category as she saw off Rebecca Hall (Parade’s End), Sienna Miller (The Girl) and Anne Reid (Last Tango in Halifax) with her role in Mrs Biggs. Her show did miss out on the Best Mini-Series award which went to Room at the Top. Accused and Parade’s End also lost out.

Steve Coogan won the Best Male Comedy Performance award for his reprised role as Alan Partridge in Welcome to the Places of My Life ahead of Peter Capaldi who missed out winning in his swansong performance as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It.

Perhaps the biggest annoyance of the night was a win for Eastenders in the Best Soap & Continuing Drama category. Despite the soap’s woeful ratings in the last year, it beat off the expected victor Coronation Street as well as Emmerdale and Shameless.

Even more frustrating was a lack of recognition for the BBC’s coverage of the London Olympics with Channel 4′s focus on the Paralympics Game being awarded the Sport & Live Event accolade.

The Great British Bake off (Features), The Graham Norton Show (Entertainment Programme), Made in Chelsea (Reality and Constructed Factual), Girls (International) and Game of Thrones (Radio Times Audience Award) were the other big winners at last night’s prestige ceremony.

The list of winners are below:

LEADING ACTOR
Ben Whishaw – Richard II: The Hollow Crown

LEADING ACTRESS
Sheridan Smith – Mrs Biggs

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Simon Russell Beale – Henry IV: Part 2 – The Hollow Crown

SUPPORTING ACTRESSOlivia Colman – Accused: Mo’s Story

MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Steve Coogan – Welcome to the Places in My Life

FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Olivia Colman – Twenty Twelve

SINGLE DRAMA
Murder

MINI-SERIES
Room at the Top

DRAMA SERIES
Last Tango in Halifax

COMEDY PROGRAMME
The Revolution Will Be Televised

SITUATION COMEDY
Twenty Twelve

SOAP & CONTINUING DRAMA
Eastenders

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Alan Carr – Alan Carr: Chatty Man

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
The Graham Norton Show

INTERNATIONAL
Girls

REALITY AND CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL
Made in Chelsea

FEATURES
The Great British Bake Off

FACTUAL SERIES
Our War

SPECIALIST FACTUAL (HUW WHELDON AWARD)
All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY (ROBERT FLAHERTY AWARD)
7/7: One Day in London

CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Shame of the Catholic Church (This World)

NEWS COVERAGE
ITV/Granada Reports: Hillsborough – The Truth at Last

SPORT & LIVE EVENT
The London 2012 Paralympic Games

RADIO TIMES (AUDIENCE AWARD)
Game of Thrones

Source: BAFTA

Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts play mother and daughter in official trailer for August: Osage County

Posted by Craig Kell on May 10, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

As two of Hollywood’s most acclaimed award-winning actresses, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are finally sharing the screen together as the pair play mother and daughter in the upcoming family drama August: Osage County.

Produced by Hollywood superstar George Clooney (Good Night and Good Luck, Argo) and the Weinstein Company, the hotly-tipped Oscar contender has unveiled its first trailer.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the film centres on the divided Weston family headed by matriarch Violet (Streep) as she and her relatives, including rebellious daughter Barbara (Roberts), reunite following the disappearance of their father.

Streep (Sophie’s Choice, The Iron Lady) and Roberts (Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich) are supported by a stirring ensemble including Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, The Impossible), Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Zombieland), Chris Cooper (Adaptation, Seabiscuit), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness), Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers), Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Grey) and Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff, Black Hawk Down).

The film is helmed by television director John Wells (ER, The West Wing) and will be released in US cinemas in November. A UK date has yet to be confirmed.

Looks like Meryl and Julia might be back in awards contention this season!

Source: YOUTUBE

Production begins on The Harry Hill Movie

Posted by Craig Kell on May 10, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

After becoming a television icon with his hilarious ITV show TV Burp, British comedian Harry Hill is ready to crack the big-screen with his film debut The Harry Hill Movie.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that filming has begun on the upcoming musical comedy and will see Hill star alongside Julie Walters (Billy Elliot, Harry Potter series), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners, Friday Night Dinner), Sheridan Smith (The Royle Family, Mrs Biggs), Matt Lucas (Little Britain, Bridesmaids) and Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge!, Cloud Atlas).

The film’s plot sees Hill travel to Blackpool with his alcoholic Nan (Walters) only to discover his pet hamster has one week to live. However his situation is complicated by both a vet (Bird) and his estranged brother Otto (Lucas) though he also encounters love in the shape of a female undersea shell person (Smith).

The BAFTA-winning comedian had this to say about the film:

“I’m thrilled at last to be able to tell the world the true story of my hamster’s struggle on the big screen and even more excited to be working with some of the comedy greats of the British film industry.”

Expected to appeal to a lot of families, the film is being directed Steve Bendelack (Mr Bean’s Holiday) and is produced by Entertainment Film Distributors. The release date is set for the end of 2013.

Hmmm, I liked Harry Hill when he did TV Burp but I also hate the idea of him doing this film. Which do you think is better? There’s only one way to find out….FIGHT!!!!

Source: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

George Clooney and Sandra Bullock battle for survival in space in first trailer for Gravity

Posted by Craig Kell on May 10, 2013
Posted in: Film News. Leave a Comment

After recently celebrating Oscar-success for his producing on Argo, George Clooney (Syriana, The Descendents) is back to acting duties as he and fellow Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock (Speed, The Blind Side) star together in the upcoming sci-fi thriller Gravity.

Helmed by Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men), the film has finally unveiled an atmospheric teaser trailer.

Written by Cuaron, the intense thriller focuses on veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) and rookie Dr Ryan Stone (Bullock) as the pair embark on a routine spacewalk only for their shuttle to be wrecked by debris. It leaves them stranded in space with their decreasing oxygen being the only hope of survival.

The immense-looking film is Cuaron’s first project since 2006′s Children of Men. Hollywood superstars Angelina Jolie and Robert Downey Jr were originally attatched to it when production first started in 2010 only for the duo to drop out.

The film will open in cinemas worldwide on October 4th.

Source: YOUTUBE