Wait? The Muppets Are Communist??

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jlmicek

These two kind of look like Lenin and Trotsky -- if you squint.

Because nothing screams “Red Menace” like a multibillion film franchise put out by a corporate studio that stands to make even more money from toy, fast-food and other merchandise tie-ins. When will the madness ever end?

From Slate this morning:

“Fox Business Network did its best last week to match the Fox News Channel’s great tradition of surreal, self-parodying, manufactured outrage. Their latest target: The Muppets.

In a Follow the Money segment, host Eric Bolling and guest Dan Gainor of the conservative Media Research Center went after the latest Muppet movie’s anti-corporate message, equating the film with Communist propaganda. Though we can’t wait to see how Jon Stewart handles the episode on The Daily Show, the Twitterverse seems to have already beat him to the best punch line.

The Twitterati have suggested that House Republicans investigate the potentially un-American activities of Kermit, Fozzy, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo (especially Gonzo, obviously) with the popular hashtag #GOPMuppetHearings. It seems to have started, or at least started to take off, with this straightforward Tweet by blogger Oliver Willis:

“Mr. The Frog, have you ever been a communist?” #GOPMuppetHearings

Slate’s own judicial columnist Dahlia Lithwick helped keep the ball rolling:

Talk a little more about this whole “rainbow connection” #GOPMuppetHearings.”

This is why I love Twitter so.

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Star Trek Sequel Rumors: A Familiar Villain? Del Toro Out?

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jlmicek

From /Film, here’s some intriguing news about the second installment of J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the beloved sci-fi franchise:

“Here’s the downside to trying to develop a highly-anticipated movie in secret, as practiced by J.J. Abrams: rumors will always poke holes whatever shroud producers, directors and studios try to draw around a film. For the last few weeks we’ve been under the impression that Benicio Del Toro would be in the Star Trek sequel that Abrams is prepping right now, and the persistent speculation has been that he would play Khan. That speculation gained steam, evolving fully into rumor last week, thanks to a report from Latino Review, and despite a denial Abrams provided to HitFix.

Now we might have some context for that denial, as Vulture reports that Benicio del Toro won’t be in the film after all, because his deal talks broke down last week.”

Read the full story here … old friend.

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Empire’s “Scorcese, A-Z”

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jlmicek

With “Hugo” seemingly destined for Oscar gold next year, Brit film-mag Empire puts together a handy A-Z guide to the American director’s life and work. “A” starts with “The Aviator” and concludes with “Zelda” (a reference to his cameos you’ll have to figure out on your own.”

Read the full list here.

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More James Bond “Skyfall” Set Photos.

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jlmicek

These Come From London’s Daily Mail newspaper and feature 007 Daniel Craig and co-star Naomie Harris. Sam Mendes directs.

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Man Of Steel’s Michael Shannon: “Unfortunately for Mr. Stamp, They Didn’t Have CGI Back Then”

Posted on December 5, 2011 by jlmicek

Actor Michael Shannon

Actor Michael Shannon, who plays General Zod in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” lets loose on what it’s like playing Superman’s ultimate baddie and the advantage of CGI over wirework when it comes to onscreen flight:

“Man of Steel? It’s about Superman, I can tell you that. It’s pretty hush-hush, it’s a reboot going back to the origins of Superman. We started doing preparations in the spring, learning stunts and stuff, and we started shooting towards the end of July. We were in Illinois for a couple of months then we wound up here in Vancouver.”

“Oh, he’s a prince,” the actor said when talk turned to director Zack Snyder. “One of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in this business. Very warm-hearted individual and very creative. He blends in, he likes to feel, to be one of the guys, one of the crew, but he’s able to do that without losing his authority. He doesn’t really crack the whip, he’s friendly and because he’s friendly people want to make him happy.”

Zack Snyder’s movies tend to be fairly heavy on CGI and this is something Shannon is seemingly quite grateful for, especially after the interviewer brought up how former Zod, Terrence Stamp, was hoisted around on a rig to achieve the flying effects in the original Superman. “Unfortunately for Mr. Stamp, they didn’t have CGI back then. I’m being spared a lot of drudgery that he had to endure. From time to time I’m in a harness, but I don’t think anywhere near as much as he was. It’s no secret that a lot of the film is going to be assisted by computer designed animation.”

“I guess it can be frustrating not having those tactile elements around you, being surrounded by the green, but you’re always trying to tell a story and be honest and you use your imagination regardless of whether there’s a set or not,” he revealed, highlighting some of the potential downsides to visual effects. “In a way it’s even more childlike (with CG) because you’re really relying solely on your imagination, like a little kid in the yard who doesn’t have any props, just inventing something out of thin air. That’s the original impulse for it all to begin with, I think.”

Read the full story here.

Posted in action, Comic Book movies, Film News, Reboots, Spoiler-itis, Summer Blockbusters, Superhero Cinema | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New “Cabin in the Woods” Promo Poster Released.

Posted on December 5, 2011 by jlmicek

From SpoilerTV, here’s the run-down on the Chris Hemsworth-starring (Thor, Avengers) horror flick:

“Well, the movie is co-written by Joss Whedon (The Avengers) and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) with Goddard directing the film. The Cabin in the Woods stars Chris Hemsworth as a young professional who visits a quaint cabin in the woods with a group of friends and ends up scratching the surface of something so massive and horrific that they can only begin to fathom it as time quickly runs out.”

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Weekend Box Office And Your Monday Must-Read.

Posted on December 5, 2011 by jlmicek

A Long-Running Cineaste feature returns after a brief hiatus today.
“Twilight” three-peated during a slow weekend at the box office, while The Muppets remain in second place. From BoxOffice Mojo, here’s the weekend by the numbers:

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count /Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week #
1 1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 Sum. $16,900,000 -59.5% 4,046 -20 $4,177 $247,300,000 $110 3
2 2 The Muppets BV $11,200,000 -61.7% 3,440 – $3,256 $56,137,000 $45 2
3 5 Hugo Par. $7,625,000 -32.9% 1,840 +563 $4,144 $25,188,000 – 2
4 4 Arthur Christmas Sony $7,350,000 -39.1% 3,376 – $2,177 $25,292,000 – 2
5 3 Happy Feet Two WB $6,000,000 -55.2% 3,536 -75 $1,697 $51,785,000 – 3
6 6 Jack and Jill Sony $5,500,000 -45.0% 3,049 +20 $1,804 $64,308,000 $79 4
7 9 The Descendants FoxS $5,200,000 -29.2% 574 +184 $9,059 $18,087,000 – 3
8 7 Immortals Rela. $4,394,000 -50.5% 2,627 -50 $1,673 $75,588,000 $75 4
9 10 Tower Heist Uni. $4,100,000 -42.9% 2,404 -70 $1,705 $70,800,000 $75 5
10 8 Puss in Boots P/DW $3,050,000 -59.4% 2,750 -255 $1,109 $139,522,000 $130 6
11 11 J. Edgar WB $2,400,000 -51.8% 1,985 +75 $1,209 $32,661,000 $35 4
12 12 My Week with Marilyn Wein. $1,180,000 -32.6% 244 – $4,836 $3,861,000 – 2

With the second “Sherlock Holmes” feature about to hit theaters, The Observer of London runs down its list of the best fictional detectives. For me, the best on-page will always be Robert B. Parker’s Spenser. On-Screen, it’s Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade, hands-down.

Post your list in the comments section.

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“Starship Troopers” Reboot In The Works?

Posted on December 2, 2011 by jlmicek

NYMag’s Vulture has the exclusive:

“Break out the bug spray! Sony Pictures Über-producer Neal Moritz has decided that the time has come to reboot Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 fascist classic Starship Troopers. He has assigned the script to screenwriters Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz, who, among other things, wrote Thor and X-Men: First Class, as well as many episodes of the TV shows Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Fringe. Of course, they also wrote Agent Cody Banks, which makes one think that Frankie Muniz could be the perfect former child star to take over the Neil Patrick Harris role”

Read the full story here.

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Neil Gaiman Returns To “Nevewhere.”

Posted on December 2, 2011 by jlmicek

Author Neil Gaiman

This Makes Me Happy.

From Hero Complex:

“Neverwhere” aired in 1996 as a six-part, three-hour series on British television and now it’s reaching the U.S. in a new 15th anniversary home video collection. The story hinges on a meeting between two people and an act of kindness; a Scot named Richard Mayhew (Gary Bakewell), a businessman in London, stops one night to help an injured girl named Door (Laura Fraser) and then finds himself transported to a different version of the city that feels like a world away. The series then toggles between London Below and London Above, and Mayhew finds himself struggling to find his place in either.

“The genesis of ‘Neverwhere’ was my love of London,” Gaiman said. “Lenny Henry, the executive producer, set it into motion. I bumped into him in London and he said, ‘I want to make a fantasy TV series and my only idea is tribes of homeless people in London.’ I thought about it and I went home and I sent him a long fax. In it I said I didn’t want to do tribes of homeless people in London because I don’t want some kid who’s being abused in Liverpool running away to live on the streets of London because she’s seen how cool it is on television. So I said let’s make it a metaphor, let’s take it one stage further. If we do that, then we can take it someplace very special.”

Read the full story here.

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Red Band Trailer For “Young Adult” Released.

Posted on December 2, 2011 by jlmicek

Probably best to lock up the kids for this one. If you’re at work, may I suggest earphones? Star Charlize Theron gets a little potty-mouthed.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

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