PHOTOS: Final (?) Batch of Where The Wild Things Are Images...

So September is a really slow news month. Outside of the recent Roman Polanski story, which is far to big and broad for me to get into, so really, this is the only news worthy story this afternoon.

With the release of Where The Wild Things Are in two weeks, yes, two weeks, Warner Brothers have released what we all believe to be the last, and largest, set of photos from this highly anticipated film. Many of these have been in the trailer, but still, they are beyond gorgeous.

Enjoy!







Go see something good!

(via The Playlist)

PHOTOS: New Where The Wild Things Are Images...

The New York Times, who have been all OVER the upcoming Where The Wild Things Are film (much to my enjoyment, as any reader of this blog knows that WTWTA is my most anticipated film from '09), and they now have a few new photos from the upcoming film.

After yesterday's post on Sonny Gerasimowicz, the "Unlikely Art Director" for WTWTA, these photos show off all of his seemingly stunning work. /Film said it perfectly: Grab a child-like blanket and prepare to curl up in the fetal position inside your man-like cubicle after the jump…








I am down and totally dig all of these photos, minus the one of the goat, named Alexander who is being voiced by Paul Dano. It's just a really weird look, a bit to Neverending Story-ish, and while it may just be the photo itself, it really doesn't work for me. The tree home photo with Max standing in front of a tree looking thing is amazing, and so is the one featuring the giant dunes, with the "9 foot dog" standing at the top. These photos simply just boost my already huge anticipation for the film.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

FIRST LOOKS: Eminem Gets Funny and Dakota Fanning is a Runaway...

Over the past couple of weeks, a ton of new photos for highly anticipated films have been released, and two of the most interesting or buzzed about online come to us from two quite different films.

About a month ago, rapper Eminem told sources at MTV that he had filmed a role for the upcoming Judd Apatow directed cancer comedy, Funny People. No one really knows about what exactly his role will be, but those who have read the script have looked at two possibilites. During the film, Adam Sandler's character goes to many of his A-list celebrity friends to let them know that he has a terminal illness. Marshall Mathers is either one of these buddies, or will be taking over for Bruce Springsteen as a celebrity who drops some knowledge for our hero to think about.

Well, the first photo of him from the film has been released, and while it's nothing special for the most part, it is interesting to see him in an Apatow film. I think he is a fine actor, and should fit perfectly in what will be a comedy right up his alley. Raunchy as all hell.



Another photo was released yesturday, that not only brought a lot of buzz to the interwebs, but brought a lot of joy to my heart. This photo comes to us from the set of The Runaways, a feature film about the legendary all girl punk band, starring Dakota Fanning, who this is the first photo of in costume, and Kristen Stewart, who plays Joan Jett. I love this photo, and the story behind this film is truly interesting. What do YOU think?



Go see something good!

FIRST LOOK: Depp, Bonham Carter, Hathaway, and Lucas in Alice in Wonderland...

Over the weekend, Walt Disney Pictures released the first promotional photos from Tim Burton’s 3D re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland. The photos below are the first official photos of Johnny Depp as a freakish-looking Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, and Anne Hathaway as The White Queen, looking very pale. Finally, you have the newest photo released, which hit the web today, of Matt Lucas as -shaped Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) and more. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!!!




Also released, was some of the much anticipated concept art for the film, which can be seen HERE.

Honestly, I'm not nearly the biggest fan of Tim Burton, or at least his repetitive style, but for Alice In Wonderland, it fits perfectly. I had previously announced my love for this project, in not only the cast, but having Burton take the helm, and while I wish he would stick to original material, but THIS is what Burton was born to do. This and get emo kids to procreate.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

FIRST LOOKS: A Couple Of Dicks, Jonah Hex, and Avatar...

So, there really hasn't been a ton of news coming out over the past day, so instead of making a few separate posts looking at all of these films, all of which would be a bit smaller than I would like, I've decided to combine these pictures in one single post. It's called the First Look.

The biggest photo release comes off of the set of Kevin Smith's first studio backed film, A Couple Of Dicks. It stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, and is Kevin Smiths first attempt at not only a studio film, but a buddy cop film. While there isn't much to the film, it is nice to see that the film is actually getting done rather quickly, as it just hit the streets of New York for filming this week. Check out one of the photos below, and for more, click on the link after for more!



The comedy about two cops (Willis and Morgan) whose adventures include locating a stolen, mint-condition, 1952 baseball card, rescuing a Mexican beauty queen, and dealing with gangsters and their laundered money. Smith is currently shooting this in New York and will have A Couple of Dicks ready for a February 26th release from Warner Brothers early next year.

For more photos click HERE (AccidentalSexiness)

Then there is the first photos off of the set of Jonah Hex, at least involving Josh Brolin as the titular character. There have previously been a set of photos released with Megan Fox as her yet to be named character, and now it's time for the reveal of what Brolin will look like as Hex. It looks a bit cool, but it's obvious that they will be including more visual effects to make the patented look of the character pop more. Nothing to interesting, but like what I said above, it's just nice to know the film is getting made, even if it's not by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.



The story in this movie will follow Jonah Hex, as seen above, a disfigured bounty hunter who tracks a voodoo practitioner that wants to raise an army of the undead to liberate the South. Former Pixar animator Jimmy Hayward, who is a big fan of both comics and westerns, is directing.

Finally, but probably most badass, we have the first real look at the powersuit that will be at the core of the upcoming James Cameron's world destroyer, Avatar!



Check out more photos here!

Can you just say a LITTLE bit badass. Just a tiny bit.

Go see something good!

PHOTOS: Inglourious Basterds, Up, and A New Toy Story Character?

Over the past 24 hours, new photos for a few of my most anticipated films have been released. Both Up and Inglourious Basterds photos have been released, and the Up ones may also have given us a glimpse at a new character for Pixar's much anticipated release, Toy Story 3.

First, here are the new Up photos, and they look GORGEOUS:




(5 more photos can be seen here)

Now, staying on Up, MTV has confirmed a rumor that has been floating around the web since the teaser trailer for the film was released.

Below is a photo of the newest member of the Toy Story crew, as shown as a special little easter egg (what's new, it IS Pixar after all) from the teaser for Up.



Awww, aint he so damn cute!

Here's the synopsis for what has been called the best film of the year, Up:

By tying thousands of balloon to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

Pixar's Up is directed Pete Docter, one of the original Pixar members who directed Monsters, Inc previously and wrote the stories for Toy Story and Toy Story 2. The film is co-directed and written by Bob Peterson, who also wrote Finding Nemo. Disney will debut Up in theaters everywhere on May 29th this summer.

In other photo news, new pics from Quentin Tarantino's surefire hit, Inglourious Basterds have been released, and these shots look just as good as one should expect. Check out my favorite below, and click the link for more!



(See more here http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/05/13/check-these-out-great-new-inglourious-basterds-photos/)

I've said my peace about how brilliant this film is set to be, having read the script and seen a few videos from it, but for those of you under rocks, here's the films synopsis:

During World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "the Basterds" are chosen to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris that is targeted by soldiers.

Inglourious Basterds is both written and directed by the infamous Quentin Tarantino, of everything from Reservoir Dogs to Pulp Fiction to Kill Bill to Death Proof previously. The Weinstein Company and Universal have partnered to bring us Tarantino's WWII masterpiece in all of its brilliant glory. Inglourious Basterds will officially hit theaters worldwide on August 21st later this year after its world premiere at Cannes.

Come back later for more news and notes...

Go see something good!

PHOTOS: Iron Man 2...

No, these aren't anything huge, but today, via his Twitter account, Jon Favreau posted two new pictures from the first day of filming on Iron Man 2. Check them out below.



Yeah, I know, it's not much, but outside of a guy killing himself during Watchmen, it's been a really slow day. Really slow.

Go see something good!

PHOTOS: Where The Wild Things Are...

So, Warner Brothers has released a group of new photos from Spike Jonez's upcoming film, Where The Wild Things Are, via USA Today. Also, a few interesting notes came out of the article...

The film expands on “Max’s home life that shed light on why he felt the need to run off to a magical place.”
The only words in the teaser trailer (attached to Monsters vs. Aliens) is one single line spoken by the Wild Thing called Carol (seen above), voiced by James Galdofini, welcoming Max to the new world: “I didn’t want to wake you up. But I really want to show you something.”
Though the Wild Things are nameless in the book, Jonze decided who was who based on their personalities.
Other cast members include: Catherine O’Hara, who voices the Wild Thing with the rhino horn named Judith, Forest Whitaker, who voices the Wild Thing with the big nose, Lauren Ambrose who voices the Wild Thing named KW (shown after the jump in the face to face shot), Chris Cooper who voices Douglas the chicken and Paul Dano who voices Alexander the goat.

More photos can be seen AT THIS LINK...

Come back later for more news and notes...

Go see something good!

NEWS/PHOTOS: Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue...

As is the case with every year around Oscar time, this upcoming issue of Vanity Fair is the Hollywood Issue, and this years theme is "Something Just Clicked."

Some of these actor-director teams have a history together—remember Ron Howard and Tom Hanks’s breakthrough, Splash, a quarter-century ago?—while others produced their first mind-melds in 2008. Sam Mendes and Kate Winslet even brought marriage and kids to the Revolutionary Road set. But in each case the chemistry was profound, the effect exponential. From Gus Van Sant and Sean Penn to John Patrick Shanley and Meryl Streep, Annie Leibovitz photographs 10 partnerships that helped generate more than four dozen Oscar nominations this season. Related: Krista Smith goes behind the scenes at the shoots. Plus: Video from the photo shoots.

Below is my personal favorite picture, a haunting composite shot of Best Supporting Actor nominee, and probable winner, the late Heath Ledger, and The Dark Knight auteur, Chris Nolan. It's just an amazing photo, and one that I can't wait to post on my wall when this issue hits shelves. All photos were taken by Annie Lebowitz.



Check out the full slideshow here...

Go see something good!

SNEAK PEEKS: Funny People Fighting...

Hello all! Today is another slower news day, but a few new production photos for two films high on my radar have been released. First off, we have two new photo's from Dito Montiel's follow up to 2006's brilliant film, A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, a film called Fighting, have been released. The film stars Channing Tatum and Terrrence Howard, and takes a look at the world of underground street fighting...




Here's the plot synopsis...

“Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting. When Harvey offers Shawn help at making the real cash, the two form an uneasy partnership. As Shawn’s manager, Harvey introduces him to the corrupt bare-knuckle circuit, where rich men bet on disposable pawns. Almost overnight, he becomes a star brawler, taking down professional boxers, mixed martial arts champs and ultimate fighters in a series of staggeringly intense bouts. But if Shawn ever hopes to escape the dark world in which he’s found himself, he must now face the toughest fight of his life.”

Now, the other big film is Funny People, Judd Apatow's next directorial venture. I'm not the biggest fan of him or his crew, or at least the films he's helmed. I thought Knocked Up was flawed, if funny, and 40 Year Old Virgin just doesn't work for me after the first time seeing it. However, there is just something about this project that really hase me thinking this could be the best comedy of '09. It stars Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen (who I'm really sick of by the way) and Apatow's real life wifey, Leslie Mann.



Here's the synopsis for Funny People...

The film stars Adam Sandler as a 42-year old comic named George Simmons, who one day he learns that he has a rare untreatable blood disorder, and only has six months to a year left to live. Seth Rogen plays Ira, a 25-year-old deli counter worker and aspiring stand-up comedian who George takes under his wing

To me, the one thing keeping me from dismissing this film isn't Sandler or Rogen, or even who is behind it, it's the supporting cast, and the fact that they are all getting back to their stand up roots. Sandler is a really great dramatic actor, and it will be interesting to see if his choices in comedy or his style begins to shift after this film.

What are YOUR thoughts on these films?

Go see something good!