Saturday, May 31, 2014

11 Movies That Swapped Directors at the Last Minute

movie directors swappedWhen Edgar Wright announced his departure from "Ant-Man" mere weeks before production due to studio-imposed rewrites, fanboys were ready to march with torches and pitchforks at Marvel Studios' doorstep. We can't blame them, since the "Shaun of the Dead" director is a bonafide visionary and shot kickass test footage for the superhero film. Now we're not sure what to think.



It might help give us perspective to look back at some other major cases of last-minute director replacements, if only to remember that there are just as many great films that come out of tumultuous circumstances like these as there are steaming piles of crap that were micromanaged to death. Some of these swaps were amicable, others involved firings, some were for better, some were for worse, while a few of these films seemed doomed from the get-go...







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Friday, May 30, 2014

The 'Ferris Bueller' Glass House Sells for $1.06M

ferris bueller house sellsCHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago-area home where Ferris Bueller's friend Cameron famously "killed" his father's prized Ferrari finally has a new owner.



Crain's Chicago Business reports that the modernist home in Highland Park sold Thursday for $1.06 million.



Craig Hogan is regional director at Coldwell Banker Previews. He wouldn't say who bought the four-bedroom, steel-and-glass house built on the edge of a wooded ravine.



The house, built in 1953 by Mies van der Rohe-protege A. James Speyer, was first put on the market in 2009 listed at $2.3 million.



The sleek house was featured in John Hughes' 1986 film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" as the home of Cameron Frye, played by Alan Ruck. After the Ferrari crashes through the glass into the ravine, Ferris tells Cameron: "You killed the car."



___



Information from: CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS.



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'Sherlock' Season 3 Hits Netflix With New Behind-the-Scenes Footage (VIDEO)

2014 Winter TCA Tour - Day 12

"Sherlock" fans are so used to getting teeny-tiny driibbles of info that they should feel like kids in a candy store while watching making-of specials on Netflix.



"Sherlock" season 3 hits the streaming service Monday, and each of the three episodes is accompanied by a half-hour special called "Sherlock Uncovered." There's also an hourlong special, "Unlocking Sherlock," about the making of the entire series.



Creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, as well as stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, are all on hand to talk about Sherlock's astonishing return; the women of the series - from Watson's wife, Mary, to pathologist Molly Hooper; and the show's villains. And some very interesting tidbits come to light that'll make fans racing to rewatch the third season.



For instance, as Moffat's wife and "Sherlock" producer Sue Vertue told Vulture, "When Sherlock's first looking at Mary in the first episode, and all those words go around, in fact, the word liar is there, but you don't notice it the first time."



As for season 4, Vertue apologized for a lack of info. "We're literally in the middle of working out what we're doing and the dates we've got," she said.



That one-off special that Freeman teased is equally up in the air. As Moffat said, "Everyone's very willing to make it work. I'm sorry -- that's all you're getting for now."



Sigh. Well, we're used to it. Watch a clip from "Sherlock Uncovered" via Vulture below:



'







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'Breaking Bad' Isn't Necessarily Over, According to Bryan Cranston (VIDEO)



More "Breaking Bad" ahead? Bryan Cranston is teasing the possibility.



At the end of the stunning series finale of the AMC series, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) seemed to get what what he deserved when (SPOILERS AHEAD!) he collapsed from a bullet wound in the middle of a meth lab. It was karmic justice: He died in the very place that brought about his downfall.



Or did he?



In an interview with CNN's Ashley Banfield, Cranston slyly called into question whether his character actually perished.



Banfield wondered, "What if the police just take him into custody, he gets better, breaks out and just goes nuts?"



With a cagey smile, Cranston shrugged. "Hey, you never saw [body] bags zip up or anything."



OMG. Could Walter White be alive? Should we start the Kickstarter for a "Breaking Bad" follow-up movie?!



"Never say never," Cranston said.



Yeah, science!



Watch the interview here:











Photo courtesy of Getty



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9 Directors Who've Remade Their Own Movies

Directors That Remade Their Own Films

Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, the producing-directing team behind the '90s sci-fi classic "Stargate," have confirmed that they're bringing the movie back for another go around.



While it sounds a bit strange for a filmmaker to remake one of his own movies, Emmerich isn't alone. In fact, some of Hollywood's most acclaimed directors have done it -- from Alfred Hitchcock to Michael Mann to Tim Burton -- and for any number of reasons.



Here are nine directors who have rebooted their own movies.







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Rhys Ifans Will Play Johnny Depp's Father in 'Alice in Wonderland 2'

rhys ifansIn the universe established by Tim Burton's 2010 "Alice in Wonderland" (based, in part, on both Lewis Carroll's original novel and the 1951 Disney animated classic), up is down, black is white, and everything's kooky and topsy-turvy. So it sort of makes sense that, as the Wrap is reporting, Rhys Ifans, who is four years younger than "Alice in Wonderland" star Johnny Depp, has been tapped to play Depp's father in the sequel.



The Wrap report calls the movie "Alice in Wonderland 2," although for a while it had been identified as "Through the Looking Glass" (in keeping with the original Carroll texts). Who knows what it's actually called, but that should probably be sorted out before its May 27th, 2016 release date. Ifans joins original stars Depp, Mia Wasikowska (as Alice), and Helena Bonham Carter (as the Red Queen), in the Linda Woolverton-penned sequel. James Bobin, who directed the two recent "Muppets" movies, will be taking over from Burton. Sacha Baron Cohen, who co-starred with Bonham Carter in both "Les Miserables" and Burton's "Sweeney Todd," is another new cast member to the franchise.



According to The Wrap, Ifans will play Zanik Hightopp, the Mad Hatter's father, "who cannot hide his bright-colored hair beneath a top hat." The site also rightfully assumes that both actors will be so covered in make-up and other prosthetics that their respective ages don't matter all that much. Ifans recently starred as the Lizard in "Amazing Spider-Man," and it's been thought that he could be one of the actors to return in Sony's all-villain "Sinister Six" spin-off movie.



Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images







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Josh Brolin Cast as Thanos in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

josh brolin thanosThe big bad of "Guardians of the Galaxy" has been a big mystery ... until now.



As Marvel fans well know, the villain of the upcoming comic book adaptation is Thanos, the powerful and insane mutant from Titan. Thanos was teased at the end of "The Avengers," and will reportedly be a the adversary in "The Avengers 3." But exactly who is playing Thanos has been the question.



Latino Review claims to have an answer: They're reporting that Josh Brolin has been tapped to voice the purple-skinned evildoer. (Update: Variety is also reporting that Brolin has been cast as Thanos.)



Of course, neither Marvel nor Brolin's reps have confirmed the news, but the actor would be a great choice; his deeply resonant voice can come across as dark and ominous.



We'll have to wait and see when "Guardians of the Galaxy" hits theaters on August 1.







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The 'Stargate' Reboot Will Be Directed by Roland Emmerich

roland emmerichWell, at least when people ask you for the definition of "creative bankruptcy," you'll have this example handy: MGM and Warner Bros jointly announced that they are planning a reboot/trilogy around "Stargate," the 1994 sci-fi movie that starred Kurt Russell and James Spader and somehow involved both aliens and ancient Egypt. While that's a pretty lazy thing to do, it gets even better: the original producer/director team of Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the first film, will be back to remake their own movie.



In a prepared statement (via Deadline), MGM's Gary Barber called the duo "world class creators of the original" and noted that they would, "bring their reinvigorated vision of this wildly popular property to audiences of multiple generations."



Devlin and Emmerich, who are currently attempting to reanimate "Independence Day" franchise over at Fox, said: "The 'Stargate' universe is one that we missed terribly, and we cannot wait to get going on imagining new adventures and situations for the trilogy. This story is very close to our hearts, and getting the chance to revisit this world is in many ways like a long lost child that has found its way back home."



What makes this announcement even more baffling is that, since the original film debuted in 1994, it has been constantly reconfigured for television. "Stargate SG-1" was the first spinoff series, and ran on Showtime from 1997 to 2007, and that show was so successful it was spun off into three more series: "Stargate Atlantis" (which ran from 2004 to 2009), "Stargate Universe" (2009-2011) and, oddly enough, an animated series called "Stargate Infinity" (2002-2003). So it's not like the world is hankering for more "Stargate" adventures.



A timeframe for the new "Stargate" hasn't been explicitly detailed, although "Independence Day 2" is supposed to come out in the summer of 2016, so probably sometime not too long after that. Hopefully the new movie will use the catchy theme song from the "Stargate Infinity" TV show. So, so good.



Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for The LA Gay & Lesbian Center







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Don Johnson on 'Cold in July,' 'Miami Vice,' and Living Without Regret

don johnson cold in julyI thought it would be funny if I went out to lunch with Don Johnson and, over the course of our lunch, quizzed him about his illustrious career, which has been in something of an upswing the past few years, with meaty roles in movies for Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, and an appearance in "Cold in July," the Sundance sensation that is out now via IFC Films (in theaters and On Demand).



Sadly, lunch couldn't be accommodated. So instead I met Johnson in the noisy bar of a Manhattan hotel. He was eating berries (or something) and puffing on an electronic cigarette. At one point, his wife brought him cherries, an apology for being late to his actual lunch, which, sadly, he had without me in attendance.



Still, we got to chat about Jim Mickle's "Cold in July," in which he plays Jim Bob, a pig farmer and private eye who teams up with Michael C. Hall, a sheepish frame store owner-turned-vigilante, and Sam Shepard's toughened ex-con, to solve a truly twisty mystery. And the rollercoaster ups-and-downs of his new movie expertly mirror the unpredictable trajectory of Johnson's career. We talked about what's around the bend and whether or not he's grown tired of making movies.



Let's go back a little bit.



Oh, jeez -- how far back are we talking?



When you were doing "Miami Vice" did you have any idea of the kind of cultural impact it would have?



No. Just think about it at the time, what we were doing was unheard of in terms of network television. And we were all independent filmmakers. We were coming to this as a group of guys who, a lot of times, didn't even realize you needed to get a film permit. We said, "Well, we might as well just shoot it." And that was the spirit we made "Miami Vice" in. And so we would put on the screen what excited us, what was fun for us, and if that translated, then great. A lot of times, when you make independent films, the audience is about this big -- it's for a small group. But when you make something that catches the zeitgeist of the moment, then that's a big thing.



How did your life change after that?



Come on... Not much.



You were an icon after "Miami Vice." You talk about being an independent filmmaker but was it hard to maintain that spirit after every dingus in the country is dressing like you?



Well, you're put in a box. It's a prison. There's a lot of perks and a lot of fun stuff that comes with it, and I've got trunks full of stories when it comes to that sh*t, but it's also confining in a lot of ways. And these things [he picks up his cell phone] have made it impossible. Because there is no privacy. Back then we had a little bit of privacy. But that was the beginning of there being zero privacy for me.



Did you see the "Miami Vice" movie Michael Mann made a few years ago?



I saw some of it... I didn't think that was one of Michael's best efforts.



Since "Miami Vice," your career has had some amazing twists and turns. Looking back on it, what would you have done differently?



Nothing.



You've had some amazing recent roles, including popping up on HBO's "Eastbound & Down." What was that experience like and are you looking to re-team with Jody Hill or David Gordon Green?



David Gordon Green is attached to a project I wrote that I'm going to make for streaming this fall. That's called "Score." It's about the rise of big time college football in the eighties. It's for streaming. I'm not going to use Hulu, I'm just going to deliver it. So he's attached to direct that. And my experience with those guys was like going back to the pre-"Miami Vice" days. You know -- we're making it up, and we're going to shoot this, and okay let's do it.



So that style still holds some appeal to you after all these years?



Well, the relationship between capital and the creative process is symbiotic or should be, but when one starts to outweigh the other, the whole thing suffers. Right now we're in an era when the financing has eaten up by these tent pole projects and it's a very narrow hallway, like in a tenement building, that goes on forever and has very little room for the creative process other than a couple of changes in the special effects. So where you're seeing the best exploratory work is either on television like on "Eastbound & Down" or "Orange Is the New Black" or this thing I'm getting ready to do with David Gordon Green, and I say that with humility. Or things like "Cold in July," where the budget is really squeezed. It's sort of a mirror of what's happened to the America capital system in general. The middle class is incredibly squeezed and it's either the really rich or the really poor.



Have you been offered parts in these big studio things?



Well, I just did "The Other Woman." But that was just a flash.



Are you not interested in these larger projects?



Not particularly. But it depends. At this time in my career, I'm happy to be relevant. It's fun. And I'm getting offered some fantastic parts and am able to deliver some of the best work of my career because I'm less attached to the outcome and ambition isn't driving the bus so much and ego is gratefully dissipating to where it belongs, which is into the f*cking ether. And so it makes room for me to be the instrument for the work, which is a lot more fun.



You were in "Django Unchained" recently, and from all reports that production was pretty nuts.



Well, production is always nuts. You'd have to be more specific about what stories you've heard.



We'll, I'm coming to you for the stories.



You be specific and I'll tell you whether or not it's true or false!



What was Quentin Tarantino most obsessed about in terms of your filmography?



He knew my entire filmography. He knew things that I had done that I didn't know I had done. And that's the truth. We were at the "Machete" premiere and he was telling me how much he liked my performance and how much he wanted to work with me, but we had been saying that to each other for many years. So he said, "Yeah, I remember this one film you made..." And he went into it. And I said, "I didn't make that movie." And he said, "Yeah you made that movie!" Then he started telling me the plot and who the DP was and who the other actors were and I went, "Oh yeah, I made that movie." It was f*cking insane.



But what is fantastic about Quentin Tarantino is that he is a master filmmaker with an extraordinary eye for detail. And the difference between a small movie and a big movie is the attention to detail. He may be our greatest living filmmaker in that regard. In how he does his thing, he's a true auteur. He does it better than anyone, in that way. You know that it's a Tarantino movie. You don't have to think about it.



What is your relationship with Robert Rodriguez like? You were in "Machete" and you recently came back for the "From Dusk Till Dawn" TV series.



I have a fantastic relationship with Robert Rodriguez. He put the arm on me to help him launch his network with "From Dusk Till Dawn" and I was happy to do it. But I'm going to make another movie with him this summer. I should let him announce it. But I love working with Robert. He's another one of the great filmmakers. He and Tarantino are unique in their voice.



Do you respond well to Rodriguez's whole "let's make a movie in the garage" approach?



Well, he knows what he wants. And working with him is fun that way. It's not a lot of standing around, guessing. Robert says, "Here, stand here, walk over there, and say these lines." And you go, "Great!" I watched him direct De Niro in "Machete," in that scene we have together. And De Niro is tied to the chair and Robert comes on and I'm standing there and I'm thinking, Oh, I can't wait to see how he's going to tell Robert De Niro how to play this f*cking scene in the chair. And De Niro is standing there, watching him, and Rodriguez pantomimes having a chair tied to his ass and starts hopping across the stage. I'm cracking up and De Niro is just going, "Okay." So the next thing I know, we're rolling and De Niro has the chair hooked to his ass and starts hopping across the room just like Rodriguez. I thought: Wow, let the mystery be gone.



What drew you to "Cold in July"?



The script was sent to me and I read it and I didn't know what was going to happen by page 10. What generally happens is that a lot of these f*cking scripts that are written, by page 10 you go, "Ugh." You want to stab yourself. Because it's a version of every fucking thing you've ever seen that was either considered artistically successful or commercially successful from the past 20 years. So when I read this I thought, Wow, this is different, this is new. Then I met Jim Mickle and thought, This guy is talented and has great film sense and I could feel his level of confidence in his ability. When you've been around as long as I have, you rely on that.



What made you trust him?



I watched his movies. And you've got an instinct for these things. Usually I trust my instincts.



Had Sam Shepard and Michael C. Hall already been cast when you signed on?



No. Sam hadn't been cast yet and that was important to me, that they make that work with Sam, because I felt like that relationship was important and it was important for me to have that character... I'm not saying anybody else could have done it but when he told me he was thinking of Sam Shepard, I thought, Oh, well I would most likely do this if you get Sam. Then he got on a plane and went and got Sam. I thought there was a shot in hell that he'd actually get Sam.



What'd you think when you finally saw it all put together?



I just loved the whole movie. There isn't anything like it. It's a blend of genres that come together that makes it unique and fantastic to watch. Really fun.



Are you tired of making movies at all?



No. I'm more invigorated and excited about it than ever in my career.



Why?



Because I am less attached to the outcome, I am less driven by ambition and ego, and that leaves me available to the creative process, where I can be the instrument and the owner of the instrument.



What haven't you done that you still want to do?



I'd love to work with P.T. Anderson. I think we would be a good team. There are a lot of filmmakers... Nolan, I'd want to work with Nolan. Some of the younger guys... I think Bennett Miller is doing some good work, although he might be too f*ckin' mainstream for me. David O. Russell, even though he likes to work in a chaotic atmosphere, I understand. But that doesn't scare me!



Actors always talk about parts that they almost took but didn't.



Yeah, I have a few of those things in my career that I turned down that turned into big movies. But I don't regret turning down things that I turned down because it's just part of the journey. And you can't do it all. My intuition and instincts have gotten sharper in these last few years. But I made some stinkers, too.



"Cold in July" is in theaters and available On Demand now.



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Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival







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'A Million Ways To Die In The West' Family Review: The 10 Most Parent Shocking Moments


a million way to die in the west review



Seth MacFarlane's latest hard-R comedy, "A Million Ways to Die in the West" will undoubtedly appeal to teen (and dare we say tween?) fans of his raunchy-for-primetime animated shows "Family Guy" and "American Dad," but obviously the western is not intended for kids. In case you're wavering on letting your teen see it, here are 10 highlights of the movie's many shocking moments (spoilers ahead).



1. Scandalous shadows: In the opening scene, MacFarlane's character Albert gets out of a pistol duel by making a series of jokes, including showing off how his rival's shadow looks like it's fellating his shadow. "Why thank you," Albert tells his nemesis. Shadows that give blow jobs -- who knew?



2. Let's talk about sex: Speaking of sex (and there is a lot of that in this movie, even though there are no actual sex scenes), one of the supporting characters, Ruth (Sarah Silverman), is the town of Old Stump, Arizona's most sought-after prostitute, and she is first heard off-camera having a rowdy romp with an eager customer who tells her how much he loves "f--king her" and announces when he's coming for the entire saloon, including her put-upon boyfriend Edward (Giovanni Ribisi) to hear.



3. The mayor: As the title implies, Albert is constantly rattling off various ways that living in the West "sucks ass." In addition to his running list of the various ways you can die, he also points out to his best friend Edward that Old Stump's mayor is literally lying dead on the street. As Edward, Ruth, and Albert look on in horror, the mayor's murdered body is dragged off by dead wolves who dismember his body (pieces of which are found later in the movie).



4. Blood on the ice: If you've seen the trailer, you're probably familiar with the gag when Albert and Edward are trying to cheer themselves up by looking at the town's delivery of ice. Albert is busy explaining how the ice got there when the entire block falls on one of the handlers and crushes him to death, squirting blood and possibly brain matter (personally, I had to look away for a second) on the street. "That went south so fast," Albert laments.



5. Culinary delight: Albert's curmudgeonly father commands him to eat dinner: "pig ass in sweet cream" -- a dish that sounds about as appetizing as it looks. It's such a gag-inducing sight that one viewer in my row had to bury her head on her date's shoulder for a few seconds.



6. Something on your face: We're not sure if this bit is MacFarlane's tribute to the Farrelly Brothers' "There's Something About Mary" or not, but in one scene, Ruth is finished with a customer and greets Edward with enthusiasm only to be told she has something on her face. She turns toward the camera and what do you know, but there's a sizable wad of semen on her cheek. The bodily fluids, of course, end up on Edward's handkerchief and eventually on an unwitting Albert's hand. "What's this sticky stuff?" he asks.



7. 'Stache love: Neil Patrick Harris plays Foy, a mustache aficionado and entrepreneur who sells mustache lotions and oils for mustachioed men. The lover of Albert's ex Louise (Amanda Seyfried), Foy asks Louise to do "that thing," which turns out to be sucking on his mustache while he masturbates in bed (at least that part was under the covers, but the stache licking and sucking and was up close and on camera).



8. Poopy head: On the eve of Albert's duel against Foy, Anna sticks a little something in Foy's drink. The morning of the duel, Foy is clearly feeling sick to his stomach and shows up bleary eyed and exhausted with his pistol. He then proceeds to have explosive diarrhea -- twice! -- in public using hats from male bystanders as his toilet. That in and of itself was pretty disgusting, but when he's finally "finished," he stands up, he trips over the hat full of crap and the audience gets a gag-worthy look at the excrement.



9. Flower in the hole: Late in the story, the movie's main villain, Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson) reunites with his estranged wife Anna (Charlize Theron) and basically plans to force himself on her. With his pants down and butt out, Anna strikes him momentarily unconscious. Seeing him face down in the dust with his butt out, she realizes she "can't leave him that way." So... of course, she gets a daisy and sticks it between his butt cheeks.



10. Sheep penis: Albert, a sheep farmer, ends up crouching among in his flock to hide from Clinch. At one point he's lying down and gets a close-up of a sheep's penis that then urinates on his face. Should we say more?



WATCH: Seth MacFarlance & Charlize Theron answer your "A Million Ways" Unscripted questions (VIDEO)








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Here's What's New On Netflix In June



Usually June is associated with the first real month of summer -- a time to go out and frolic through the wilderness like a snowman that doesn't know any better. But it also gets really, really hot, which has people retreating to their local multiplex or, even better, their luxuriously air-conditioned living rooms. With that in mind, take a look at the television shows and movies that will be available on Netflix's steaming service come June (via Vulture).



Thought the snail-who-dreamed-of-being-a-racecar saga ended with last summer's DreamWorks Animated joint "Turbo?" Think again. Apparently there's a television spin-off. And you can watch it on Netflix. We also have to give it up for a pair of wonderful sequels that are going to be on in June: the obviously-shot-in-Canada-even-though-it's-set-in-New York robo-epic "Short Circuit 2" (a favorite since childhood) and the far darker and more sinister "Wolf Creek 2," a sequel to the beloved cult horror film from Australia. "Wolf Creek 2" takes the route that so many horror sequels have taken, which is to amp up the humor while turning its central antagonist into an iconic baddie. It all works. And it's got one of the year's best car chases to boot (rip computer-generated kangaroos).



There are plenty other great options, so take a gander below and come back next week for further analysis.



New Seasons of TV:

Comedy Bang Bang! (Season two available June 20)

Copper (Season two available June 22)

Derek (Season two)

The Glades (Season four available June 3)

Heartland (Season five available June 17)

Luther (Season three available June 6)

Pretty Little Liars (Season four available June 13)

Toddlers & Tiaras (Season seven available June 14)

Turbo FAST (Season 1.5 available June 27)

Wilfred (Season three available June 17)



Movies:

The Adventures of Milo and Otis

Apocalypse Now

Annie Hall

The Art of the Steal (Available June 7)

At the Earth's Core

Barbershop

The Believer

Better Than Chocolate

Bingo

Blood and Chocolate

Bonnie & Clyde (2013, available June 10)

Carrie

The Chorus

Clear and Present Danger

Cold Mountain

The Craft

Dance With Me

Devil's Knot

El Dorado

Duplex

Escape From Tomorrow

First Knight

Funny Lady

Gambit (Available June 24)

Girl Most Likely (Available June 6)

Harriet the Spy

I.Q.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

Iron Monkey

Jane Eyre (2011, available June 16)

Julia

Lady Vengeance

Lawless

Left Behind: Tribulation Force

Loser

The Man From Snowy River

The Mean Season

Mission: Impossible III

My Baby's Daddy

My Girl (Available June 30)

My Girl 2 (Available June 30)

Nanking

Oldboy

Oldboy (2013, available June 18)

Picture Perfect

The Pirate Fairy

Popeye

Reign Over Me

A River Runs Through It

Return to Nim's Island (Available June 15)

Romeo & Juliet (2013, available June 4)

Rudy

Short Circuit 2

The Stepford Wives

Sophie's Choice (Available June 30)

Tarzan (1999, available June 23)

Tarzan 2 (2005, available June 23)

These Birds Walk

Tetro

Trailer Park Boys Live in F**kin Dublin

Trailer Park Boys: Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys

Triplets of Belleville

Swept Away

Wayne's World

We Were Soldiers

Wicker Park

Wolf Creek 2 (Available June 24)

XXX: State of the Union (Available June 24)









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The Trailer for Nicolas Cage's 'Left Behind' Will Leave You Asking Questions (VIDEO)

left behind trailerAs we all know too well, Bavarian castles don't pay for themselves, and Nicolas Cage will sometimes say "yes" to anything. Sometimes that can lead to smart, challenging work like this summer's "Joe," a micro-budgeted indie that he would have never thought twice about when Cage was riding high in his "Con Air" heyday. But it can also lead to movies like "Left Behind," which, if the just-released teaser trailer is any indication, might be our most ironically anticipated film of 2014 (sorry, "Sharknado 2").



"Left Behind" is based on a series of best-selling evangelical books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, which began in 1995, that dramatize what the world would look like following the rapture. The series had been adapted once before, with 2000's Kirk Cameron-starring "Left Behind: The Movie."



In this remake/reboot/re-imagining Cage plays Ray Steele, an airline pilot whose wife and son are among those who vanish, while his daughter (Cassi Thomson) remains on Earth. Lea Thompson plays Cage's wife, presumably in flashback or vision-from-heaven form, and the cast also includes Chad Michael Murray, who assumes the role that Cameron played in the original.



If all of this is making your head hurt, just watch the trailer, which plays like a much more dour, cheaper version of HBO's upcoming series "The Leftovers," complete with ominous text and baffling lines of dialogue like "The God that my mother talked about would never do something like this!"



Stuntman Vic Armstrong, who wrote a really nifty memoir a few years ago, directed "Left Behind," which has the primo October 3rd slot that such Oscar heavyweights as "Gravity" and "Argo" occupied in years past. (This year the slot presumably belongs to David Fincher's starry adaptation of beloved bestseller "Gone Girl." But "Gone Girl" is perilously Cage-free.) It should probably be a good time to remind everyone that a.) Nic Cage has an Oscar and b.) this subreddit exists solely to bask in his glory.
















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Angelina Jolie Facts: 33 Things You (Probably) Don't Know About the 'Maleficent' Star

Angelina Jolie FactsIt's hard to believe Angelina Jolie has been a fixture of Hollywood for almost 20 years now.



Ever since breaking out in the late '90s with a string of critically-acclaimed performances, the actress quickly established herself as an international star. Between headlining hits like "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and directing passion projects like "In the Land of Blood and Honey," Jolie is perhaps the biggest Hollywood spokesperson of humanitarian efforts worldwide. This summer, however, Jolie can be seen taking a wicked turn in Disney's "Maleficent" -- a re-imagining of "Sleeping Beauty" from the villain's point-of-view.



From her Oscar-winning godfather to her curiosity with blood, here are 33 things you probably don't know about Angelina Jolie.



1. Jolie was born June 4, 1975 in Los Angeles to Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand, both actors.



2. The actress was born Angelina Jolie Voight, but she legally dropped her surname "Voight" in 2002.



3. She is the goddaughter of actress Jacqueline Bisset and actor Maximilian Schell. Bisset starred opposite Frank Sinatra in "The Detective" (1968) and Steve McQueen in "Bullitt" (1968), while Schell won the Best Actor Oscar for "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961) -- only his second film role in Hollywood.



4. She has an Oscar closer to home, too. Her father, Jon Voight, has been nominated for four Oscars and took home Best Actor for "Coming Home" (1978). Meanwhile, her mother trained with the famous acting coach Lee Strasberg, though, acting took a backseat to motherhood. She had her first child at 23 and Angelina at 25.



5. Jolie's older sibling is actor James Haven, who appeared with his sister in "Gia," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Original Sin."



6. Her parents separated in 1976, and the children lived full time with their mother. Due to Voight's marital infidelity, Jolie has been estranged from her father on-and-off throughout the years, though, they reconciled in 2007 following the death of Jolie's mother -- ending a six-year estrangement.



7. Jolie insists her acting career was not influenced by Voight.



8. Beginning at the age of 11, Jolie began studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. A proponent of method acting, Strasberg is arguably the highest regarded acting coach -- having trained James Dean, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman -- and is best known on screen for his role as gangster Hyman Roth in "The Godfather: Part II" (1974).



9. Jolie's confidence often waned at a young age, resulting in episodes of suicidal depression, drug use, and self-harm.



10. Despite her self-esteem issues, Jolie began modeling when she was 16 and soon appeared in videos for several huge bands and musicians, including The Lemonhead's "It's About Time" (1993) and Lenny Kravitz's "Stand by My Woman" (1991).



11. She even starred in Meat Loaf's music video, "Rock'N'Roll Dreams Come Through" (1993).



12. Jolie's first leading role was in the low-budget movie "Cyborg 2" (1993), where she played a seductive near-human robot. Yeah... it went straight-to-video.



13. Her big screen debut, however, came much earlier in life. When Jolie was just 7, she had a minor role in "Lookin' to Get Out" (1982), which was co-written by and starred Voight.



14. By 1997, the actress had co-starred in several Hollywood films, and established herself as more than just her father's daughter with a critically acclaimed performance in "George Wallace," a TNT TV movie that earned Jolie a Golden Globe win and an Emmy nomination.



15. That same year, she appeared as a stripper in The Rolling Stones music video "Anybody Seen My Baby?"



16. In 1998, Jolie won a Golden Globe for a second consecutive year for her critically-acclaimed portrayal of supermodel Gia Carangi in HBO's "Gia." The supermodel's glamorous life unraveled as a result of heroin addiction and, eventually, her death from AIDS in the mid-1980s.



17. Due to the actress's training as a method actor, she was reportedly very difficult on the "Gia" set and even told her then-husband, actor Jonny Lee Miller ("Trainspotting"), that she would not be calling him throughout the production.



18. Jolie and Miller co-starred in 1995's "Hackers" and married in 1996. Jolie wore black leather pants and a white shirt with Miller's name painted on it -- in her own blood.



19. She has said "I am still at heart -- and always will be -- just a punk kid with tattoos."



20. Soon after the "Gia" shoot, however, the couple called it quits and Jolie moved to New York to decompress from her intense role. She also announced she was done with acting, and began taking up filmmaking and writing classes. It didn't take long, however, until she was back in front of the camera.



21. Jolie's biggest Hollywood breakthrough came in 1999, when she played a sociopathic mental patient in "Girl, Interrupted." She took home her third Golden Globe and the Supporting Actress Oscar.



22. Following her separation from Miller, Jolie reportedly dated Oscar-winning actor Timothy Hutton ("Ordinary People") and has the letter "H" tattooed on her left wrist. The "H" is also reportedly a reference to her brother, James Haven.



23. Jolie married Billy Bob Thornton in 2000 after co-starring with him in "Pushing Tin" (1999).



24. After marrying, the couple moved into a Beverly Hills home previously owned by Slash, the Guns N' Roses guitarist.



25. Jolie and Thornton wore one another's blood in vials around their necks.



26. The couple's priorities soon drifted apart, however, as Thornton wished to focus on music and his film career and Jolie on her newly adopted son, Maddox. The two officially divorced in 2003 following three years of marriage.



27. Around this time, Jolie also began shooting "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" in Cambodia. The immense poverty in the country was eye-opening for the actress, who has since devoted much of her time and money towards humanitarian causes worldwide. She's been appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and donates one-third of her income to charity.



28. In 2002, she adopted her son Maddox, a Cambodian refugee. She later adopted an Ethiopian refugee girl, Zahara, in 2005, and a 3 year-old Vietnamese tot, Pax, in 2007.



29. During the production of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (2005), sparks flew between Jolie and co-star Brad Pitt. The actor was married to "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston at the time. However, Jolie and Pitt were reportedly not romantically involved until after Aniston and Pitt's divorce.



30. Jolie and Pitt announced their engagement in 2012, but have yet to marry.



31. Jolie and Pitt have six children together. The three oldest are adopted, while the three youngest are the couple's biological children.



32. In 2013, Jolie underwent a preventive double mastectomy. Breast cancer was extremely prevalent in her family (due to a defective BRCA1 gene) and Jolie had learned she had an 87% risk of developing the cancer if she did not take action.



33. The actress is currently wrapping up her third directorial effort, "Unbroken," which chronicles the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who became a Japanese prisoner of war during World War II.



Did we miss anything about Jolie? Put it in the comments below!



[Sources: Wikipedia, IMDb]



Article photo courtesy of Getty







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'A Million Ways to Die in the West' Review: By the Numbers


Film Review A Million Ways to Die in the West



Writer/director Seth MacFarlane trades in a foul-mouthed CGI teddy bear for an equally foul-mouthed sheep farmer (how's that for range?) in his new Western comedy, "A Million Ways to Die in the West." This is a movie that aims to be a modern-day "Blazing Saddles" and succeeds -- well, as far as copying that film's opening credits font, at least.



In addition to directing, co-writing, and producing "A Million Ways to Die in the West," MacFarlane stars in his first major live-action role as Albert, a lovable loser painfully unsuited for life in an 1882 frontier town. But when his girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) leaves him for the well-off proprietor of the local "moustachery" (Neil Patrick Harris), Albert aims to win her back with the help of a mysterious newcomer named Anna (Charlize Theron), unaware she's the wife of "the most dangerous bandit in the territories" (Liam Neeson).



So, the question is, can the "Family Guy" creator recapture the success of "Ted," one of the most popular hard-R comedies in recent memory? And since a movie whose main comic set piece involves diarrhea and hats is pretty much critic-proof, instead we'll be looking to answer that with cold, hard math.



(As always, like Albert's aim, the following numbers aren't necessarily 100 percent accurate.)



Worldwide box office gross for "Ted": $549,368,315

Reasons why "A Million Ways to Die in the West" got made: 549,368,315

The average success rate for modern Westerns: 1 in 5

The average success rate for Western comedies: 1 in 20



Ways to die (claimed): 1 million (duh)

Ways to die (actual): 15, including, but not limited to, gunfights, bar brawls, rattlesnakes, modern medicine, extra-sharp tumbleweeds and farting (yes, that's right)

Not included: Sitting through all 116 minutes of "A Million Ways to Die in the West"



Average life expectancy in Old Stump: 35 years old

Elected officials killed: 2

High Noon shootouts: 3

Saloon brawls: 1

Gunfights: 3

People thrown through windows: 1

Pratfalls: 7

Bones broken: Several

Glassware broken: Significantly more

What kills the most people in "A Million Ways to Die": Fire (3), narrowly edging out Neeson's Clinch Leatherwood (2)



Ways to get a laugh, according to "A Million Ways to Die": 5, including, and limited to, fart jokes, moustache jokes, anachronistic modern takes on Western life, gross-out sight gags, and celebrity cameos

Fart jokes: At least 5

Mustache jokes: Around 10, including an extended musical number

Sheep puns: 10-15, with several repeated for emphasis

Celebrity cameos: 9

Jokes run into the ground: See above



Modern pop culture references: 3

1882 pop culture references: 5

Musical numbers: 1

Excuses to see Neil Patrick Harris and Giovanni Ribisi dance: Welcome

Non sequitur flashbacks: 0, surprisingly

"Family Guy" style "parodies": 2

Restraint shown by MacFarlane: A lot, apparently



Things defiled: Too many to count, including, but not limited to, shadows, hats (multiple), the deceased Mayor of Old Stump, mustaches, Liam Neeson's butt and/or a daisy (depending on your perspective), good taste and/or your intelligence

Ratio of offensive jokes to offensively stupid jokes: About 1 to 3

Times characters laugh at jokes the audience doesn't: At least 4



Times I expected/wanted to see a sheep's penis: 0

Times you will see a sheep's penis: 7

Times you'll be glad "A Million Ways to Die in the West" isn't in 3D: 7

Historical consultants credited: 1 (seriously)



Movies Seth MacFarlane's had a major starring role in before this: 0, not including voice roles

Extended "dramatic" scenes: 3

Extended makeout scenes with Charlize Theron: 3

Reasons MacFarlane presumably cast himself as the lead: See above

Amount of his dialogue that sounds like a stand-up act on the Old West: 75%



Anna's accuracy rate with a gun: 100%

Albert's accuracy rate: A little over 10%

Clinch Leatherwood's accuracy rate: 0% when shooting at Albert, 100% when shooting at literally anything else

Jokes that hit their targets: About 50/50



Times Albert saves Anna: 2

Times Anna saves Albert: 2

Times Charlize Theron saves the movie: Countless

Chances that's enough for "A Million Ways to Die in the West" to match "Ted" at the box office: Slim to none



"A Million Ways to Die in the West" is now playing in theatres.



'A Million Ways to Die in the West' Green Band Trailer









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Behold, The World's Biggest 'Full House' Fan (PHOTO)



How much do you love your favorite dated nineties sitcom? Enough to fashion your amateur hockey team around them? Well, that's what one hockey enthusiast/TGIF superfan decided to do, and the results are genuinely incredible.



A member of The Rippers, a Philadelphia-based amateur hockey team based around the fictional band led by Jesse in "Full House," posted a photo to Reddit (via The Huffington Post), of his team's jersey. And it's a glorious sight indeed: the bright green jersey features an appropriately nineties-era font (the same font, it seems, that the original "Full House" title was rendered with) and a photo of wacky uncle Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) wailing on the guitar. But it's the little flourishes that endear us to this madman (and make us want to watch hockey for the first time ever): "Cut it out," which was Dave Coulier's catch phrase on the show, is represented by Emoji-like graphics on each sleeve, and the logos for The Smash Club (a fictional venue where the Rippers would frequently play; in "Full House" lore it was later inherited by Jesse) and Wake Up San Francisco, the TV show anchored by Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), emblazon each shoulder.







In short: this is a staggering work of profound genius and the second greatest thing on Reddit after whatever is going on on One True God.







Image courtesy of Reddit



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'A Million Ways to Die in the West' Review: 10 Things to Know About Seth MacFarlane's Western Comedy

million ways to die in the west reviewThe comedy Western is a notoriously tricky genre to tackle, with only a few filmmakers (usually masters like Mel Brooks or Quentin Tarantino) actually able to pull it off. In recent years, big-budget Westerns, released in the summer, have even more difficulty getting off the ground -- just ask the makers of "Cowboys & Aliens" and "The Lone Ranger." (Is it still "too soon" to talk about "Wild Wild West"?) But none of this seems to have affected Seth MacFarlane, the co-writer, director, and star of "A Million Ways to Die in the West."



MacFarlane stars as a hapless sheep farmer who challenges Neil Patrick Harris to a duel. Harris is the new beau of MacFarlane's ex, played by Amanda Seyfried, a fancy man who owns a store that sells mustache oils. Of course, MacFarlane gets some much-needed advice (on both women and gun-slinging) from a mysterious stranger played by Charlize Theron, who is outrunning an outlaw of her own: her husband, played by none other than Liam Neeson.



With a cast that's rounded out by Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman, "A Million Ways to Die in the West" looks to break the summer Western curse and prove itself as one of those rare comedy Western whose tone actually works. But does it succeed? Or does it die a horrible death on the summer movie frontier?



1. Seth MacFarlane Is NOT a Leading Man

Seth MacFarlane is many things: one of the most successful showrunners in the history of television, an impressive voice performer on both TV and in movies (keep in mind that he even did one of the voices in Guillermo del Toro's wonderful "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"), and an iffy Oscar host. But he is not a leading man, despite his very best efforts here. He's visibly uncomfortable and lacks the charm and presence required of most leading men. Instead, he just stands around, acting neurotic, while some of the most beautiful women in the world fight over his affections. Ah, narcissism, my old friend.



2. Charlize Theron Gets to Exercise Her Comedic Talents Again

In 2011's deeply underrated "Young Adult," Theron got to show off her funny side. It was pretty impressive. Since then she's only been in two movies, both of which were very dark and very serious (at least on a superficial level): "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Prometheus." Now she's back to being goofy, and the results are marvelous. Just because she is stunningly beautiful and a wonderful dramatic actress (she won the Oscar for "Monster," we have to remember) doesn't mean that she can't crack a joke with the best of them. We also get to see her handle physical comedy here, which she is just as game for. Unfortunately, much of the material she has to work with is stiff and whole sequences involve her simply laughing at MacFarlane, to reinforce what a hilarious guy he is.



3. It's Pretty Gross...

MacFarlane has never shied away from potty humor (although, here I guess it should be "outhouse humor") and "A Million Ways to Die in the West," with its R-rating, is no exception. Want to see horrible violence, randy sexual humor, and beloved star of stage and screen Neil Patrick Harris poop (violently) into someone's hat (and then poop into somebody else's hat)? Well, this is the movie for you. It's unclear whether MacFarlane knows what he's going to for or if he's simply trying to be provocative and cutting edge.



4. ...But It's Not Funny

For all of the fart jokes, F-words, and violent visual humors that are needlessly crammed into "A Million Ways to Die in the West," this reviewer didn't laugh. Once. And I was seated next to a colleague who can have a great time in pretty much anything. But he, too, sat stone-faced as we watched the embarrassing parade of gags roll by. By no means was I a fan of "Ted," but there were a few jokes in the movie that made me giggle until my side hurt. There is nothing like that here.



5. There's Zero Explanation for All of the Modern References

At some point, you want MacFarlane to explain why nobody is talking like they're in the old west, or at least give some reason for why his character is clearly a modern guy in an ancient era. But he never does. Instead, characters talk like they would today, using modern slang and pop culture references, and there isn't even a passing reference to why everyone sounds like they should be in a 2014 mall instead of 1882 Arizona. It's representative of the laziness of the entire film.



6. Liam Neeson Is Terrific

Yay, Liam Neeson is in this movie! We love him! He gets to snarl, threaten, and ride a horse in all the excellent ways you'd expect Liam Neeson to do such things. Sadly, he's only in the movie for about five minutes, even though much of the marketing and promotion for the film is built around his presence. Whoops.



7. Yes, There Are a Ton of Cameos

This is a Seth MacFarlane film, after all, so there are a whole bunch of very high-profile cameos. One of them has been needlessly spoiled by a recent TV ad that seems to air during every commercial break of the NBA Finals. But there are a whole lot more, too. (The best is in the middle of the closing credits, so be sure to stick around.) Do these all-star appearances add up to much? No. But are they are a welcome distraction from the rest of the movie? Why yes!



8. There Isn't Any Fun to Be Had With the Format

The Western genre offers up seemingly unlimited opportunities to play with the format. Not only can you amp up the film's score to Spaghetti Western-style heights of melodrama, but you can also play with the frame itself, squeezing it into Sergio Leone-worthy bands or playing it out in big wide masters. Some great examples of monkeying around with the formal aspects of western filmmaking are Sam Raimi's deeply underappreciated "The Quick & the Dead" and Gore Verbinski's animated delight "Rango." Sadly, "A Million Ways to Die in the West" isn't playful in the same respect.



9. Only a Few People Die

Even though it's called "A Million Ways to Die in the West" and Seth MacFarlane's character can't shut up about what an awful, deadly place the Old West is... Not that many people die. Maybe a dozen or so characters actually kick the bucket, and many of them are just background players who get horribly killed in ways that wouldn't be out of place in one of the "Final Destination" movies.



10. Hey, 'Ted 2' Is Coming Soon

If you hate "A Million Ways to Die in the West," there's a silver lining: "Ted 2" is coming soon.



Photo courtesy Universal









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James Cameron's 'Avatar' Is Getting the Cirque du Soleil Treatment

avatar cirque du soleil james cameronIn addition to working on three sequels to his blockbuster movie "Avatar," James Cameron is expanding the world of Pandora through a live performance collaboration with Cirque du Soleil.



The touring arena show, performed by the famed acrobatic troupe, will debut ahead of the first of the film's three sequels, and is expected to be ready sometime next year. The idea was concocted well before the movie's big box office bow in 2009.



"Our relationship with Jim Cameron began with my visit at his 'Avatar' cutting room. I am thrilled that almost five years later, Cirque du Soleil will be able to explore the very inspirational 'Avatar' realm for the live stage," said Daniel Lamarre, president and chief executive of Cirque du Soleil.



Studio 20th Century Fox is helping bankroll both the "Avatar" sequels and the Cirque show. A creative team has not yet been assembled, though an announcement is expected soon.



"'Avatar' remains a phenomenon that continues to inspire people around the globe, and combining it with the live event ingenuity of Cirque de Soleil is a perfect synthesis of imagination and talent," said Jim Gianopulos, chairman and chief executive at Fox.



The first "Avatar" sequel is currently in pre-production, and the films are due out in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington are reprising their roles from the original.



[via: TheWrap]



Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images







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Eva Green's 'Sin City' Poster Too Hot for the MPAA

Eva Green Sin City Poster

Eva Green's sizzling appearance in a poster for "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" has been deemed too hot for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).



The poster shows the actress in a translucent white robe that shows off some skin as she holds a gun in her right hand. It was rejected by the MPAA "for nudity -- curve of under breast and dark nipple/areola circle visible through sheer gown," PageSix.com reported.



Eva Green Sin City Poster



Dimension Films, which is releasing the "Sin City" sequel on August 22, declined comment, but the studio is working on a compromise with the association, Deadline reported.



Anyone who wishes to see the poster and other provocative material can find it on the film's Facebook page.


'Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill' Trailer





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It's 7-Question Movie Quiz Time

movie quiz maleficentWho doesn't love a good bit of random movie trivia? No one, that's who! Here are seven quick questions -- some tied to this summer's big movies, some not -- to test your ability to retain the most random of facts.





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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Villains! Mashing Up Disney and 'Star Wars' Bad Guys (PHOTOS)


disney star wars



We all have a soft spot for villains; they're charismatic, they look badass, and more often than not, they steal the show. Disney -- those guardians of "family friendly" entertainment -- have always done a suspiciously entertaining job at bringing larger-than-life bad guys to the big screen. And now that they guide the future of the "Star Wars" universe, and its Sith lords, bounty hunters, and alien scum, they're packing a double helping of trouble!



Moviefone has teamed up with your favorite comic book artist Dennis Culver to imagine a monstrous mash-up of Dr. Frankenstein proportions that mutates the baddest baddies in the galaxy with childhood nightmares! Jafar may have already been a creep, but now he's armed with Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber!



Check out the gallery below to see what happens when Disney fairy tales and "Star Wars" combine to give you the ultimate legion of villains!







Want more from Dennis Culver?

Order your very own copy of "All in the Game" -- a poster print featuring 52 characters from the critically-acclaimed television show "The Wire." Pick up issues 1-15 of the digital super-villain series "Edison Rex" at MonkeyBrain Comics. (Available for only $.99 an issue) -- or order the first two volumes from IDW!



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'Orange Is the New Black' Star Laverne Cox Makes History (Again)



"Orange is the New Black" star Laverne Cox graces the cover of this week's issue of Time magazine, discussing her role in the burgeoning transgender rights movement and her own struggles with her identity.



Cox, who plays inmate Sophia Burset on the Netflix prison-set series, has become an activist and icon in the transgender community after shooting to fame through "Orange." But as the actress reveals, she wasn't always so sure of who she was, and grew up constantly afraid that by being herself, she would be rejected by her family and her peers.



The actress said that she was repeatedly bullied from a young age for wanting to dance and perform, and always thought of herself as feminine, despite being born a boy. She recalled an instance when a group of boys jumped her as she exited a school bus, and hit her repeatedly with drum sticks. In third grade, her teacher called her mother and warned her that Cox would someday "end up in New Orleans wearing a dress."





"Up until that point I just thought that I was a girl and that there was no difference between girls and boys," Cox told Time. "I think in my imagination I thought that I would hit puberty and I would start turning into a girl. ... Going to a therapist and the fear of God being placed in me about ending up in New Orleans wearing a dress, that was a profoundly shaming moment for me. I associated it with being some sort of degenerate, with not being successful."



That shame led Cox to attempt suicide when she was only in sixth grade, though the pills she swallowed only gave her a stomachache. Cox admits that she still struggles today with feelings of isolation and confusion, though the growing trans community -- and the support it has slowly started to gather nationwide -- helps.



"If someone needs to express their gender in a way that is different, that is okay, and they should not be denied healthcare. They should not be bullied. They don't deserve to be victims of violence," Cox said. " ... That's what people need to understand, that it's okay and that if you are uncomfortable with it, then you need to look at yourself."



The entire, inspiring interview is worth a read. Check it out over at Time.



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Here's a New 'Godzilla' Trailer, Starring Beyoncé (VIDEO)

beyonce godzillaWe all know Queen Bey rules the world. But in this wonderful bit of editing, she's destroying it.



"I tried to warn people about what's already happening in the world. Right now, things are so serious," explains Madonna. We then see footage ripped from the trailer for the 2014 megahit "Godzilla" reboot mixed with crying popping stars, Sasha Fierce references, and a final, decimating appearance by Beyonce herself. Well, sort of.



A piece of advice: watch the trailer to its dramatic conclusion. And remember to keep your criticism to yourself.









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'Kate Plus Eight' Returns to TLC for Two-Part Special (VIDEO)

Kate Gosselin Signs Copies Of

It's time for a check in with one of the most talked-about reality TV families of the last ten years.



The Gosselin sextuplets are almost 10, and TLC is set to air a two-part celebration of that milestone. And it appears that mama Kate Gosselin hasn't changed her notoriously harsh parenting style since her series "Kate Plus Eight" was canceled in August 2011. A trailer for the program shows Gosselin discussing how she rules her household with an iron fist.



"I got those girls cell phones and iPads so that I could take them away," Gosselin says of her twin teenage daughters.



Gosselin and her husband, Jon, shot to fame when they landed the TLC series "Jon & Kate Plus 8" in 2007, which detailed their hectic lives as parents of twins and sextuplets. Though the series was charming and their family depicted as ideal, Jon and Kate later split in an acrimonious divorce, with Kate deciding to continue on with the show. The name was shortened and the cameras stuck around for two more seasons, though viewers eventually tired of the concept.



Part one of "Kate Plus Eight: Sextuplets Turn 10" airs on June 19th at 10 p.m. on TLC. Part two airs on June 26th. No telling if Jon will make a cameo. (We're guessing no.)



Get your sneak peek here:

[via: Entertainment Weekly / TLC]







Image courtesy of Getty



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Marilyn Manson to Appear on 'Sons of Anarchy'

6th Annual Revolver Golden Gods Award Show - Arrivals

"Sons of Anarchy" is adding an unconventional guest star for its final season: Marilyn Manson.



The shock rocker -- who previously cameoed on HBO comedy "Eastbound & Down" -- is set to play a white supremacist named Ron Tully on the FX motorcycle drama. Tully is described as a "prison shot-caller whom Jax [Charlie Hunnam] uses to expand his power base," and will appear as a recurring character.



Manson said in a statement that he was excited to join the show, noting that his father is a big fan of the series.



"'Sons' has been such a big part of my life, as well as my father's," Manson said. "So I was determined to make him proud by being involved in what will probably be remembered as the most amazing piece of television cinema. After all, the very heart of 'SOA' is about that relationship. So, now all I need is a motorcycle."



The seventh and final season of "Sons of Anarchy" premieres on September 20th on FX.



[via: HitFix]











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Carrie Fisher Would Love to See a Grey 'Granny Leia' Hairdo

carrie fisher princess leia bunsWhile it was a foregone conclusion that Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill would reprise their iconic "Star Wars" roles in "Episode VII," Fisher admitted that it's been strange getting the old gang back together because everyone's, well, so old.



During an appearance at the U.K.'s Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, the actress said that when the original cast reconvened at "Episode VII"'s recent table read, she realized that they "all look a little melted," herself included. And that makes sense, Fisher said, since the film takes place 30 years after the events of 1983's "Return of the Jedi," though she had an idea for how to keep her character's spirit intact.



Referencing the iconic, somewhat comical hairstyle that Princess Leia sported in 1977's "A New Hope" (the giant, coiled buns that covered both her ears), Fisher said she made a request of filmmakers.



"That hairdo can never really be repeated without gales of laughter. I've begged them to put the hair back on in grey and just catch me cooking with the hair, like Granny Leia," Fisher said.



No word on whether or not director and co-writer J.J. Abrams took her advice -- "I would get in trouble no matter how I answer that question," the actress said of revealing any "Episode VII" plot details -- though Fisher did say that there was another aspect of her character she was happy to revise.



"We are doing it over again so I can get Princess Leia right this time," she said. "I think less British. I looked a little pretentious faking the accent. It was sort of a viral accent - it came and went."



For more hilarious anecdotes from Fisher -- including her experience choking Jabba the Hut, why she wanted to play Han Solo, and whether or not she still has that metallic bikini -- check out her remarks in The Guardian.



"Star Wars: Episode VII" hits theaters December 18, 2015.



[via: The Guardian, h/t Vanity Fair]







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'A Walk Among the Tombstones' Trailer: Liam Neeson Goes Dark. Very Dark. (VIDEO)

a walk among the tombstones trailerThe trailer for "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is further proof that Liam Neeson isn't afraid to tap into his dark side.



Opening September 19, "A Walk Among the Tombstones," based on the 1992 Lawrence Block novel of the same name, sets unlicensed private investigator Matt Scudder (Neeson in this movie, Jeff Bridges in 1986's "8 Million Ways to Die") on a mission to find the men who murdered the wife of a not-so-nice guy. As often happens in these kinds of books/movies, all is not what it seems.



Here's the full summary from Universal:

Based on Lawrence Block's bestselling series of mystery novels, A Walk among the Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Matt Scudder, an ex-NYPD cop who now works as an unlicensed private investigator operating just outside the law. When Scudder reluctantly agrees to help a heroin trafficker (Dan Stevens) hunt down the men who kidnapped and then brutally murdered his wife, the PI learns that this is not the first time these men have committed this sort of twisted crime...nor will it be the last. Blurring the lines between right and wrong, Scudder races to track the deviants through the backstreets of New York City before they kill again. Written and directed by Scott Frank (The Lookout), A Walk among the Tombstones is produced by Jersey Films' Danny DeVito, Double Feature Films' Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher, Exclusive Media's Tobin Armbrust and Cross Creek Pictures' Brian Oliver. Universal will distribute the film in North America.







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Those 'Jurassic World' Plot Rumors Are True, Confirms Director Colin Trevorrow

colin Trevorrow jurassic worldWARNING: This post contains SPOILERS about the plot of "Jurassic World."



While movie spoilers have become the norm in Hollywood, that doesn't mean that filmmakers involved in yet-to-be-released projects are completely used to -- or happy with -- them. That's the case for "Jurassic World" director Colin Trevorrow, who begrudgingly confirmed that some recently leaked plot details about the film are indeed true, and also discussed why he wanted to keep an air of mystery about the long-gestating project.



In an interview with Slash Film, Trevorrow addressed a set of rumors that leaked through JoBlo last week that basically gave away the entire premise of the film. It turns out that JoBlo's source was right on the money.



(Stop reading now if you don't want to know the SPOILERS.)



"'Jurassic World' takes place in a fully functional park on Isla Nublar," Trevorrow confirmed to Slash Film about the sequel's return to the site of the original "Jurassic Park." "It sees more than 20,000 visitors every day. You arrive by ferry from Costa Rica. It has elements of a biological preserve, a safari, a zoo, and a theme park. There is a luxury resort with hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and a golf course. And there are dinosaurs. Real ones. You can get closer to them than you ever imagined possible. It's the realization of John Hammond's dream, and I think you'll want to go there."



Trevorrow said he and his writing partner, Derek Connolly, were inspired by two main themes: the notion that money almost always sways decision-making, despite any horrific consequences that may arise; and that technology has become so ingrained into our society that it's almost an afterthought.



"Those two ideas felt like they could work together," the director said. "What if, despite previous disasters, they built a new biological preserve where you could see dinosaurs walk the earth...and what if people were already kind of over it? We imagined a teenager texting his girlfriend with his back to a T-Rex behind protective glass. For us, that image captured the way much of the audience feels about the movies themselves. 'We've seen CG dinosaurs. What else you got?' Next year, you'll see our answer."



In addition to those details, Trevorrow also discussed Chris Pratt's character (a scientist who's "doing behavioral research on the raptors"), and teased a "new dinosaur created by the park's geneticists" that "exists to fulfill a corporate mandate-they want something bigger, louder, with more teeth." The director also acknowledged that while some fans may be disappointed to see studio Universal go back to the once-dry "Jurassic" well, he has a clear vision he wants to see through -- and wants to treat moviegoers to something they'll love.



"We've all been disappointed by new installments of the stories we love. But with all this talk of filmmakers 'ruining our childhood,' we forget that right now is someone else's childhood. This is their time. And I have to build something that can take them to the same place those earlier films took us," Trevorrow said. "It may not happen in the same way everyone expects it to, but it's the way I believe it needs to happen. ... Will this one be different from the other movies? You bet it will. And I'm not going to pass the buck if it doesn't work. This one's on me."



The entire interview -- including Trevorrow's thoughts on the negative nature of spoilers -- is worth a read. Check it out at Slash Film.



[h/t Grantland]



Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP







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