One of the most beautiful movies which await us in cinemas this December (premiering in the festive atmosphere of Christmas Day) is DreamWorks Pictures' WAR HORSE helmed by famous director Steven Spielberg, an epic adventure for audiences of all ages, a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War. With touching story, inspiring atmosphere, epic art direction and music by Oscar winning John Williams, the film will surely bring a memorable experience in cinemas.
THE WAR HORSE STORY
The story begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war,
changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets - British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter - before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man's Land. The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse, an odyssey of joy and sorrow,
passionate friendship and high adventure. WAR HORSE is one of the great stories of friendship and war - a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the greatest directors in film history.
WAR HORSE TIDBITS
Beside being directed by legendary Steven Spielberg, who returns to making heart warming and deeply touching movies after SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, the film has a lovely cast including young Jeremy Irvine (we shall also be watching him as Pip in
THE GREAT EXPECTATIONSbeside Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes) and British stars Tom Hiddleston from THOR, Emily Watson, Toby Kebbell, David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Mullan ... The film is based on a children's novel by Michael Morpurgo published back in the 80's. This will be the first Spielberg's movie to be edited digitally,
he cut his films manually so far. The film might score good at next year Oscars.Spielberg's next film is $100 million worth historical drama LINCOLN with Tommy Lee Jones, Lee Pace, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Daniel Day Lewis, and after that he is going sf withROBOPOCALYPSE.
The Hollywood Reporter wrote today about Ridley Scott finding the lead actress for his ambitious epic drama GERTRUDE BELL. The role will go to
Angelina Jolie who will now play the seminal Middle East figure in the early 1900s, who left her upper-class English roots behind and went to Asia and the Middle East. She established the boundaries and framework for what would become the countries Jordan and Iraq. During World War I, she became a spy for British Intelligence, and her work helped put an end to the Ottoman Empire. The bad news is that the script was written by the writer of utterly monotonous THE CONSTANT GARDENER. As you know Angelina also has CLEOPATRA in her plans, while Ridley is currently finishing his sf film PROMETHEUS with Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Michael Fassbender.
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The biggest directing star at the moment, visual genius Tarsem Singh of IMMORTALS and MIRROR MIRROR has just signed on to helm KILLING ON CARNIVAL ROW. The strange story seems
fitting for the director since it is is set in a mystical city of Burgue, where both humans and bizarre creatures co-exist. The plot centers around a serial killer roaming the streets of Burgue. Sony Pictures is moving on with their biopic on STEVE JOBS. The proof that they didn't wait long after the death of the Apple founder is the fact that they already have two contenders for the lead role - Noah Wyle and George Clooney. As "MovieWeb" reports Wyle already played Jobs back in 1999. in a TV movie PIRATES OF SILICON VALLEY, and as you know both Wyle and Clooney starred together in ER.
The first trailer for exciting action thriller GONE has been released today around the Net. Starring Amanda Seyfried, Wes Bentley, almost forgotten Michael Pare and Sebastian Stan, the film follows Jill Parrish who comes home from working the night shift to discover that her sister Molly has disappeared. Jill is convinced that Molly has been abducted by the same serial killer from whom Jill escaped the year before and that by sundown Molly will be dead. The police think Jill is crazy, so she sets out alone to rescue her. Is Jill mentally ill, merely chasing shadows, or will she find Molly before it's too late? The film hits cinemas next February.
One of the actors who is definitely having a breakthrough year (even though he's 40+) is super talented Norman Reedus. Beside winning the spotlight in Lady Gaga's video for her JUDAS
mega hit, and starring in AMC hit show THE WALKING DEAD, in which he is portraying probably the most popular character, he is now getting new movie roles too. According to "Variety" he will appear next to Matt Dillon in SUNLIGHT JR. He will play Naomi Watt's ex boyfriend in the story which revolves around a Florida couple dealing with an unexpected pregnancy while holding minimum wage jobs. As you remember you've seen Norman in THE BOONDOCK SAINTS too, and he is scheduled to star in NIGHT OF THE TEMPLAR as well, a film about a medieval knight who resurrects to fulfill his vow and bestow a blood-thirst vengeance upon the kindred spirits of those who betrayed him long ago.
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Now, I really don't like Clint Eastwood's films, they are deeply unappealing to me, but I do love Amy Adams and according to "MovieWeb" she has just been offered the lead role in TROUBLE
WITH THE CURVE, a drama in which the story centers on Eastwood's character, a baseball scout who is beginning to lose his sight. He brings his daughter (Amy Adams) along on a scouting trip to Atlanta, so he can take a look at a young prospect. And when it comes to THE HUNGER GAMES which some of you like a lot, the producers want the 2nd part in the saga CATCHING FIRE to be written by Simon Beaufoy the screenwriter of famous THE SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Two of the classics which are getting remakes are WOODY WOODPECKER, which Universal wants to turn into an animated film, and THE MUNSTERS, the famous 60's series about a weird family of monsters which will now get a new pilot on NBC thanks to PUSHING DAISIES creator Bryan Fuller.
Continuing the week of really great trailers, I have for you today the second trailer for the long awaited drama THE VOW which many of my ladies
are smitten by. Hitting cinemas next February with quite and interesting cast including Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams, Scott Speedman, Sam Neill and Jessica Lange, the film is based on a true story about a young woman who loses all recent memory in a car accident and struggles to rebuild her identity while her husband tries to win her heart for the second time. The problem is that her ex boyfriend also appears trying to use her lack of memory and her sudden loss of love for her new husband, to win her over again. As you can see in the trailer it seems Channing is really giving his best in this one, while McAdams is sporting some really nasty hairdos in the film :)
I have two magnificent trailers for you today. First the 2nd clip for utterly delightful and positively charming animated comedy THE PIRATES!BAND OF MISFITS which will sail into cinemas
next March with Hugh Grant as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain, a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less than successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It's a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (I adore Imelda Staunton in this one) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure!
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When it comes to epic news today, some time ago I've mentioned that Warner Bros. is preparing an epic on Moses, from his birth to his death, GODS AND KINGS, and "MovieWeb" reports that
Steven Spielberg has formally entered negotiations for helming the movie. The film is scheduled for 2014. Another eagerly awaited epic is Angelina Jolie's CLEOPATRA, and the last update from "Variety" is that it has just got itself a writer - Eric Roth from THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Based on the book CLEOPATRA: A LIFE, the film will tell the Egyptian Pharaoh's tale from a woman's perspective, portraying her as a cunning strategist and politician. Meanwhile horror epic I, FRANKENSTEIN in which Aaron Eckhart will play Frankenstein, who is hunted down by a clan of demons who want to learn his secret in order to reanimate deceased demons to start a new army, now has Bill Nighy as a demon prince. Fascinating.
After we've seen the grim trailer for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN a few days ago, we didn't wait for too long to see the trailer for rival project MIRROR MIRROR. The brilliant 1st trailer for Tarsem's version of the famous tale is the main piece of news today around the Net and it's absolutely enchanting, totally
irresistible bringing charming humor, mind blowing sets and stunningly magnificent costumes, if you can, off course, neglect Julia Roberts horrid acting. Starring Lily Collins as Snow White, Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Armie Hammer as the prince, Sean Bean as the king, and Nathan Lane as the Queen's servant, the film hits theaters next March with a new look on the fairy tale in
which a wicked enchantress schemes and scrambles for control of a spirited orphan’s throne and the attention of a charming prince. When Snow White’s beauty wins the heart of the prince that she desperately pursues, the Queen banishes her to the forest, where a ravening man-eating beast hungrily awaits. Rescued by a band of diminutive highway robbers, Snow White grows into an indomitable young woman determined to take back her realm from the treacherous Queen. With the support of her subjects, she roars into action in an epic battle that blends spectacle, magic and contemporary humor in Singh’s signature, jaw-dropping visual style. Click to read our exclusive spotlight on the film.
You already know that one of HOLLYWOOD SPY's most anticipated next year movies is definitely Pixar's animated epic BRAVE which should hit cinemas next June. Today you can check out some new pictures from this delightful movie which features the voices of Kevin McKidd, Julie Walters, Emma Thompson and follows Merida a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the
uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) for help,
she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late. The film is directed by people who worked on THE LION KING, PRINCE OF EGYPT, RATATOUILLE.
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If you liked Disney's TANGLED, and I know you did, it's good news that a short film TANGLED EVER AFTER will be featured with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D this January showing the royal wedding of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Flynn (Zachary Levi).
Although not officially announced this is probably a sign that the sequel to TANGLED is also in works. Variety reports that novel Q by Evan Mandery will be adapted into a film following a man visited by a future version of himself, who tells him not to marry the love of his life. He agrees and spends the rest of his life trying to undo that fateful choice and find the only woman he ever loved. One of the books you also loved, and which I wrote about earlier too, MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN might be adapted by Tim Burton according to "Deadline". As you remember, the story is set in a mysterious orphanage, which used to house children with special and dangerous abilities.
The second trailer for today is for Eddie Murphy's new comedy movie A THOUSAND WORDS. As you know he is currently in the spotlight for ditching the host role at the next year's Oscars, which means you won't hear him talking at the Oscar's stage, but you won't hear him talking much in this movie either since he plays a businessman Jack McCall who can't stop talking and will say anything to anyone to get his own way, but then he ends up in serious problems when he lies to the wrong guy, who puts a curse on him giving him A THOUSAND WORDS that he can speak before he dies... The hilarious film should hit cinemas next March after a few years of waiting for the premiere.
I have two trailers for you today. The first one is a new trailer for epic drama RED TAILS. The exciting story is set in the final year of World War Two. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll
on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options - including the untried and untested African American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country - and the fate of the free world. Ready to premiere this January the movie stars Bryan Cranston, Josh Dallas (he is currently playing Prince Charming in ABC's hit show ONCE UPON A TIME), Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr, and music stars Ne Yo and Method Man.
THE LATEST TV HEADLINES
In TV headlines today, NBC has ordered a pilot for LEGENDS, a new show from the producer of HOMELAND (the hit show with Damian Lewis and Claire Danes), about an undercover agent who takes on legendary identities. The spy comes to learn that
his own identity may be a lie as well. On the other hand, AMC, the home of super popular HELL ON WHEELS and THE WALKING DEAD has acquired a pilot of THUNDER STRUCK show, which centers on mysterious UFOs that start to appear all over the world. As "Deadline" reports the show is set in the small town of Great Falls, Montana, where the citizens try to deal with this unexplained phenomena. Yet another movie stars to move to TV is Paul Bettany who will lead Showtime's MASTERS OF SEX pilot. Bettany will play William Masters, who ignited a sexual revolution through the research he performed with Virginia Johnson and they became known as a couple which taught America how to love.
And another trailer for today is the second, longer one for fantasy film THE HUNGER GAMES which should hit cinemas next March. This one is longer than the modest first clip from this
summer, but I don't like the new one either, it kinda lacks an artistic vision and depth. You might like it, though. As you know the story is set in a dystopic Capitol which requires its 12 subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl who are forced to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. When Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen in the lottery, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Although persevering through hardship is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home. The cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Wes Bentley, Stanley Tucci...
After directing the epic film of the year IMMORTALS, which just swept box offices earning almost $40 million and becoming the most successful R-rated movie of the year, and after finishing his
take on the Snow White MIRROR MIRROR with Lily Collins and Julia Roberts, visual genius Tarsem Singh apparently wants to direct SAMURAI JACK. This was an animated show from Cartoon
Network about a samurai warrior wielding a magic sword who travels a foreign landscape in search of a time portal that can return him to his home time in order to erase some evil from
happening in the future. But this is just what Tarsem wants, in reality he will probably direct some smaller scale drama because he said he wants to escape being typecast as a director of only huge visual master pieces. As you remember Tarsem's previous work
includes THE CELL with Jennifer Lopez and THE FALL with Lee Pace two of the visually most striking films in history. Check out some of the scenes from his films in these pics.
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Today you can check out a gorgeous new poster for China's Oscar contender THE FLOWERS OF WAR in which Christian Bale plays an American in China during Japanese invasion in 1937. Remember the trailer? Heat Vision reports that Universal Pictures has decided to make a movie adaptation of ASTEROIDS video game, in which
players used a tiny space ship to blow up huge asteroids being hurled towards them. The movie will center on two estranged brothers who reunite to try and stop an eminent alien attack. The writer of SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN has been hired to pen the script which could be directed by Roland Emmerich. Summit has, meanwhile, acquired film rights on DEADMAIL, a yet to be published novel by Laurie Frankel centering on a computer prodigy who invents a way for people to email their deceased friends and family members. When the woman he loves unexpectedly dies, he must decide whether or not to stay close to her, using his own device.
The good news, people, is that Sony Pictures has acquired rights for US distribution of delightful period comedy HYSTERIA which
means it will hit cinemas soon in USA too. As you know, this super charming and utterly witty comedy is based on the surprising truth of how Mortimer Granville came up with the world's first electro-mechanical vibrator in the name of medical science. This mischievously inspired romantic comedy has quite a lovely cast including always brilliant Hugh Dancy, always funny Maggie Gyllenhaal, always naughty Rupert Everett and Jonathan Pryce. With wonderful story, sets, costumes and cinematography, HYSTERIA will now hit American cinemas too. Check out the trailer I've posted earlier this year.
It is interesting that the end of the year will bring us two biopics of famous ladies from the world of politics, although two very different ones: a much hated British Prime Minister who lead wars in THE IRON LADY and a much beloved Burmese activist who
fights for peace in THE LADY.
THE LADY OF WAR
One of the news this week was the move of the release date of Meryl Streep's drama THE IRON LADY to December 30th so that it could get in the run for Academy Awards, and there are absolutely no doubts that Meryl will score her 17th Oscar nomination! Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, known for an unforgivable sin of putting Meryl in superficially done MAMMA MIA movie, the film is basically a biopic of infamous British prime minister (or is it ministress :) Margaret Thatcher. THE IRON LADY will bring a surprising and intimate portrait of Margaret
Thatcher the first and only female Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. One of the 20th century’s most infamous and influential women, Thatcher came from nowhere to smash through barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male dominated world. She also became one of Britain's most hated politicians. The story concerns power and the price that is paid for power. The film will also feature an insight into her private life with marvelous Jim Broadbent playing her husband.The cast also includes Richard E. Grant and brilliant Harry Lloyd from GAME OF THRONES as young Dennis Thatcher.
Meryl Streep has just one film scheduled for future, it's GREAT HOPE SPRINGS in which she and Tommy Lee Jones will play a middle-aged couple which goes on an intense counseling weekend to decide the fate of their marriage. Steve Carell will play the counselor.
THE LADY OF PEACE
Anotherpolitical drama hitting cinemas this December is THE LADY in which amazing and always wonderful Michelle Yeoh portrays Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and pro-democracy icon who led the opposition against the Burmese military junta that arrested her in 1989, and spent 15 years of the last 21 years under house arrest.The film will also bring a true story of love set against political turmoil by depicting her personal struggles since she had to choose whether to lead the political battle or to fight her husband's (always amazing David Thewlis) cancer battle. It is an epic love story about how this extraordinary couple and family
sacrificed their happiness at great human cost for a higher cause. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. The film, which premieres later this year, is directed by famous French director
Luc Besson (THE BIG BLUE, THE FIFTH ELEMENT). It is interesting that most of the first reviews of the film describe it as lacking in feeling and authenticity, with the usual Western ignorance in depicting foreign cultures in one-dimensional way.
As "Entertainment Weekly" reports, beside Victor Hugo's LES MISERABLES (Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Russell Crowe), Charles Dickens' THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS (Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes) and
Tolstoy's ANNA KARENINA (Jude Law, Matthew McFadyen, Aaron Johnson), we shall watch another movie adaptation of a classic novel: THERESE RAQUIN by Emile Zola set in Paris in 1867, which follows young Therese, who is forced by her aunt, Madame Raquin, into a loveless marriage to her sick, spoiled first cousin. Therese soon becomes obsessed with her husband’s friend Laurent and is pulled into a devastating affair with him that unravels all of their lives. It is interesting that the lead roles will go to Glenn Close and young Elizabeth Olsen, who are both huge contenders for Oscars next year thanks to their roles in ALBERT NOBBS and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE.
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As you've heard by now, the new host of the OSCARS 2012 will be Billy Crystal who is taking the role instead of Eddie
Murphy. There was a huge group lobbying for The Muppets to be the hosts, and even their screenwriter said it's a brilliant idea, but the role went to Crystal. And according to "The Hollywood Reporter" everyone's favourite Reese Witherspoon has got herself a new role: she will star in RULE #1 a comedy about a 34-year-old woman trying to cope with OCD, who takes in a young woman with ADD and her newborn baby in an effort to face her anxieties and ultimately get her estranged husband back. The resulting effort takes the woman's already chaotic world spinning into the next level.
One of the hottest projects currently when it comes to casting is the movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's sf novel THE HOST in which Saoirse Ronan will play a girl in the world in which human souls are invaded by alien creatures. The film will have two male leads. The role of her boyfriend just went to Max Irons
(RED RIDING HOOD) who won it over Liam Hemsworth, Jai Courtney and Kit Harington and "Deadline" reports that the role of the villain in the film will probably go to young Jake Abel . He starred previously in THE LOVELY BONES, I AM NUMBER FOUR and PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS THE LIGHTNING THIEF. The film is being directed by Andrew Niccol from GATTACA and IN TIME.
This is totally expected from Hollywood: we didn't have any trailers for days, maybe even weeks, and now we get a number of them in one day. Check them out:
The first one is for the unfortunate project SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN which is already losing battle to much more vivid and creative Tarsem's take on the fairy tale MIRROR MIRROR which will premiere first. Not only that they are premiering after MIRROR MIRROR and that they have horrible Kristen Stewart in the lead role (the worst casting choice ever), but SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN also does something I do not approve - ruins legendary fairy tale by making it extremely dark, violent and aggressive. But I know some of you might still like it, so I'm posting the trailer. Hitting theaters June 2012, the visually striking and rather stunning movie will bring a gritty new
take on the fairy tale in which the Huntsman (played by Thor himself Chris Hemsworth) has an expanded role from the one in the classic fairy tale. In the original story, he is ordered to take Snow White into the woods, kill her and bring her heart to the Evil
Queen (here played by Charlize Theron who looks rather magnificent in the costume), but instead lets her go. But in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN the two will be chained together for part of the movie as they make their escape. But this doesn't mean that the Huntsman is Snow White's love interest, because the prince is still in the story(played by super charismatic Sam Claflin from PILLARS OF THE EARTH and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN). The huntsman here has a task of being Snow White's mentor, teaching the teen girl to fight and survive and teaching her how to fight back the Evil Queen. The cast also includes Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Lily Cole and Toby Jones.
The 2nd trailer for the end of the week is a gorgeous one for the sequel to THE JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH this time titled JOURNEY 2: MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. You remember the
first part in which Josh Hutcherson and Brendan Fraser traveled underneath the Earth's core, but this time Hutcherson is joined by his stepfather played by Dwayne Johnson: the new journey begins when young adventurer Sean (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist, a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather (Dwayne Johnson) joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever. Hitting cinemas next February this lovely adventure also stars Kristin Davis as the mother, and Michael Caine as the grandfather.
And speaking of fantasy tales and adventures, don't forget to pop over to my dear RASHELLE WORKMAN's casa since her exciting fantasy saga EXILED is out in the bookstores today!
Congrats to our dear Shells.
