Movie News: Whose fault was 'Prometheus'? Lindelof arrives to defend himself

by Mark Newton
 
Prometheus has divided fans. Some thought it was a bit of a mess, and others thought it was an absolute, unforgivable mess. The Ridley Scott directed sci-fi flick was supposed to expand the original Alien franchise, instead it just kind of ended up confusing everyone with a story splattered with plot-holes.
According to Bloody Disgusting, much of this mess was apparently down to script shenanigans long before Prometheus even started filming. Reportedly, Jon Spaihts was originally brought on board to write Prometheus. He provided an initial draft which was very much a ‘one-off’. It seemed Fox didn’t appreciate his efforts, and hired renowned screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Lost, Cowboys and Aliens, Star Trek Into Darkness) to finish it off.
Apparently, Lindeldof rewrote Prometheus as the first movie of a trilogy, which led Bloody Disgusting to conclude:

Lindelof transformed Prometheus into a “trilogy”, thus stripping the first film’s conclusion of any meaning and setting Ridley and Fox up for disaster. This disaster was perpetuated when Lindelof announced he wouldn’t be penning the sequel. So, in short, the guy who convinced the filmmakers to make a trilogy, left them in the dust…

As a result Bloody Disgusting claim Fox and Ridley are literally “freaking out” over how to continue Elizabeth Shaw’s (Noomi Rapace) story. In fact, they’re so desperate they are reportedly “taking pitches from basically anyone who can crack the story”.
However, Lindeldof has arrived to give his side of the story. After being approached by /Film, Lindeldof wrote a lengthy email which seems to have cleared up some of the mess. The email deserves to read in it’s entirety, so check it out below:
”Hey, man!
While I’m happy to maintain my ongoing role as internets whipping boy (well, not happy, but at least resigned) this is a weird attack piece, even for someone who should be used to it by now.
The unglamorous truth is this:
During the creative process of Prometheus, all involved (that includes Fox and Ridley) had a strong desire for this film to launch off in its own way so that by the end, it would not connect directly to the original ALIEN, but instead run parallel to it. This is something that I talked about many, many times in the press burst around the release of the movie. As you probably remember, there was a lot of interest as to whether Prometheus was a “prequel” — the answer was, “Yes. Sort of. But if there was a sequel to Prometheus, it would not be ALIEN.”

Taking the strong foundation that Jon Spaihts had already written, I worked on the script to this end - and yes, during that process, Ridley did occasionally riff on what he felt might happen next as Shaw and David’s Head ventured off of LV-223 in search of wherever The Engineers had come from.
After the movie came out and discussions began about a possible sequel, I was already neck deep in writing and producing TOMORROWLAND with Brad Bird. I have found, unfortunately, that if I take on too many projects at one time, there is a higher probability of those projects sucking. And contrary to popular belief, I do not want anything I work on to suck. I really don’t. I care about these stories deeply - not just as a writer, but as a fan. It might not always feel that way to the audience, but I swear to God it is true. It also so happens that Ridley was about to embark on directing his next movie, THE COUNSELOR, and had another one, CHILD 44 lined up right behind it. The conclusion was obvious - In the best interest of the franchise, it was best to take myself out of the running before I had to suffer the embarrassment of potentially not even being offered it.
And that it is the complete (if not somewhat boring) truth.
As to whether Ridley and Fox are “freaking out” about me not working on a sequel, well that’s news to me. I retain awesome relationships with both. More importantly, the idea that there aren’t many, MANY writers out there capable of taking the reins is sort of ridiculous. I did not map out a trilogy and then walk when the going got tough. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know me and doesn’t know the truth.
The process of working on Prometheus with Ridley was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. Love or hate the result of that work, I don’t regret having done it for a second.
Bloody Disgusting was very clever in tagging their story with the sentiment that denials were going to come. This would seem to throw shade on me denying the veracity of the story simply by anticipating that I would.
But denying the story I am.
As I said, I will take all the abuse in the world for the things I have done, but I refuse to take it for the things I have not.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Your Pal,
Damon”
Meanwhile, while /Film were building up the case for Team Damon, Bloody Disgusting also got some quotes from Spaihts (in an old interview with Empire) suggesting the idea of a trilogy long pre-dated Lindelof’s involvement in the project. Basically, I don’t know who to blame for Prometheus anymore. The truth is, it probably involved a team effort to screw up what should have been a sure fire sci-fi success.
In any case, despite the controversy, Prometheus 2 is still expected to arrive. At the moment it still seems like their looking for a story

Gerry Barnaby's Film Review: The Host

Genre: Action Adventure Romance Warning dose contain some scene that maybe disturbing for younger viewer.

Film Constance parent advised to read before watching :

Sex & Nudity: Sensuality between a man and a woman; kissing ,We briefly see a couple having sex in a flashback. We see the man's bare back and the woman in a bra. The scene lasts for 20 seconds.

Violence & Gore: A man is shot in the head. We see blood fly from it and his body in a pile of blood around his head.Some other people are shot throughout with little or no blood.
In the opening scene a woman crashes through a window and falls several stories in a suicide attempt to escape possession. She is seen with cuts and bruises on her face as she is fixed.
Some men and women get the back of there neck sliced open so they can get a host put in them. They don't bleed but you can see blood in there neck.
We can see a knife in a pile of blood with some women with cuts on the back of there necks on a table behind them.Two car chases with guns and crashes

Profanity: Nothing

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None at all

Frightening/Intense Scenes: The idea of possession by an alien species may be confusing or frightening to younger viewers A woman wanders through a desert for several days and becomes very sick The attempted suicide may scare younger viewers The idea of possession by an alien species may be confusing or frightening to younger viewers A woman wanders through a desert for several days and becomes very sick The attempted suicide may scare younger viewers

Cert: 12A cert (13A)

Story: What if everything you love was taken from you in the blink of an eye? "The Host" is the next epic love story from the creator of the "Twilight Saga," worldwide bestselling author, Stephenie Meyer. When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about - Jared (Max Irons), Ian (Jake Abel), her brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury) and her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt) , proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.

Likes : I'm going to say this straight off the bat, don't go in to watching this film thinking its going to be an action style film because it is far from it if you do that then your going to be disappointed in this film. If you go in with a open mind you mite enjoy this type of film,I cant speak for other critics of this film Ive seen a lot of them put this film down but if they realised that this film was more of a chick film than a guy film they would see it as i did, a seriously beautifully made film that really hits the heart string with powerful emotion that bring tears to your eyes, Ive only seen a few movie that do this & this film is definitely one of them which makes this film good for that very reason.The whole concept is beautiful done as it dose bring a romantic feel to the film,as you see a struggle for mankind. But one of the aliens you comes to see in this film realise that humans can be lived with & it really set a tone of roller coaster emotions that make you really feel for the character Melanie / Wanda Played by the the incredible beautiful Saoirse Ronan who gave a top notch performance to really believe in her character to have two different people inside her mind Wanda as the alien & Melanie as the host but still alive sharing the body,i found her presents on screen made the film so much better as she was so beautiful in dark hair,The beautiful Rachel Roberts (Cameo) play Soul Fleur a doctor, Diane Kruger plays the villainess alien agent The Seeker who wanted Wanda to use the memories of Melanie to find the rest of the humans but Wanda change her mind & saw the truth,leading Diane Kruger character on a witch hunter to track her down & find the rest of the human survivors which was some time a little intense.Playing the human resistance Chandler Canterbury plays the young boy bother to Melanie Jamie, J.D. Evermore plays Trevor Stryder, Max Irons plays Jared is 28 years old and Melanie Stryder's lover. Circumstances always improve for the rebel humans he runs into, due to his great skill. He is seen as loving and somewhat excitable in Melanie's memories, though the loss of her renders him very bitter. He bears a grudge against Wanda, treats her cruelly, and is unable to empathize with her for most of the book. He eventually develops a closer relationship with her in addition to his extreme devotion to Melanie. He is somewhat of a rival to Ian O'Shea, because Ian sees Jared as a competition for Wanda's affections. Jared has been looking after Melanie's younger brother, Jamie, when Melanie was gone. Jamie idolizes Jared and aspires to be like him.At first you notice he seem to reject the fact Melanie is back because of the host but the scene really shows that he still has romantic feeling for her.William Hurt Seem to play this father figure to them all & a leader who see a difference in Melanie & the host he called Wanda, they seem to grow this bond between them which show real emotional concept to the film,Boyd Holbrook plays Kyle, Jake Abel character show real romantic emotions toward Wanda which really dose set the tone for a romantic scene, One of the rebel humans, his prejudice against the souls had driven him to a point in time when he had almost killed Wanda. He had a change of heart when he and Jared had discussed the Seeker. One of the first characters to also see through his hate of Souls. He believes that she is an innocent girl who does not deserve to be punished because she inhabits Melanie's body. Ian O'Shea is one among the humans to treat Wanda with anything but hostility. He eventually falls in love with Wanda and is shown to be extremely devoted to her. Ian does not get along well with Jared Howe, due partially to Wanda's affection for Jared, partially because of jealousy over Wanda and Melanie, and partially because Jared was cruel to Wanda at the beginning of the book. Ian is the only person who understands how Wanda thinks, and feels responsible for her since she is so self-sacrificing. He is very protective of Wanda. Ian is described by Wanda as being "kind enough to be a soul but strong as only a human could be.Frances Fisher plays Maggie who really dose like Wanda it really show well in the film.,along with a few other stars of this film it has to be for what it was probably the best teen movie Ive seen as in showing powerful emotions that make you cry.

Dislike: The only fact here was it a very slow film,but it needed to be to show the emotions in this film,altho it could of been a little faster & a bit more action.

Overall : A powerful emotional roller coaster that will pull on your heart strings,a well worth watching film to take your girlfriend or wife to see.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 for concept / 7.9 out of 10 for story & romance

 

Gerry Barnaby's Film Review: G.I Joe: Retaliation

Genre: Action Adventure Sci-Fi , Contains intense sequences of combat violence and martial arts action throughout, and for brief sensuality and language

Film Constance parent advised to read before watching :
Sex & Nudity: A very revealing red red dress that make the woman like very sexy with top cleavage & showing leg.brief moment in one scene where you see a woman undressing in the reflection of a TV.

Violence & Gore:
In the beginning of the film, many soldiers are killed as they are deceived by Cobra.Lots of gun and sword fighting.Some ninjas are seen falling down while hanging to a cliff.
This film has a more darker tone than the first.
The scene where a weapon of mass destruction is fired from outer space into London causing widespread damage may frighten children.
Zartan disguised as the U.S. president might frighten some children as he uses a knife and cuts his face to show his true identity before going back into disguise.
In the beginning of the film, many soldiers are killed as they are deceived by Cobra.Some ninjas are seen falling down while hanging to a cliff.

Profanity: Minor uses of "hell".

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None

Frightening/Intense Scenes:This film has a more darker tone than the first.
The scene where a weapon of mass destruction is fired from outer space into London causing widespread damage may frighten children.Zartan disguised as the U.S. president might frighten some children as he uses a knife and cuts his face to show his true identity before going back into disguise.

Cert: Was given a 12A, i would say a 15 cert just for the violence alone.

Story: Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by the President's order, and the surviving team members face off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence

Likes : Ive got to hand it to the director of this film he knows how to make a good action film work, the first film was good this one was better, see the first film was to introduce the characters & introduce how cobra came to power.This sequel step it up a notch as half the team are killed only a few survive to fight back,Some of the banter gave this film some lighter moment as this sequel has a dark concept than the first one did,I love the cobra commander design on the helmet, who ever design that got helmet got the same design from the 80s toys with just a little bit more added.What make it good is the whole design from front to back it looks like a black cobras head with the sliver visor just on the top two fangs to look like a cobra, brilliant design set the tone off for a serious bad guy with a menacing look which really worked well for the film.I'm so glad that Ray Park as snake eye's character got more scene time then the first one, such an awesome character special some of the scenes he was in were just awesome,special the fight between storm shadow brilliant fight scene.There is also an insight in to Byung-Hun Lee character storm shadows past in this film as well which is really well made to fill in gaps from the first film,which make you understand the character of storm shadow better. Dwayne Johnson code name road block, wow talk about on screen presence the guy look like someone you just don't mess with, i love the way they gave his character this hard ass no hold bars never back down personally with a slightly sense of humour which worked well for he character, he really kick ass in this film. I love the character of Jaye played by the beautiful & sexy Adrianne Palicki she got this toughness about her altho very beautiful she is a soldier through & through, you notice with her character she fought for the proval of her hard ass father who did like woman in the army it really show on her character as she seriously kicks ass in this film. Channing Tatum is in this film but not for long, there was a few moment that make you laugh with the scene between him & the rock you really saw the friendship between them,what happen to him the scene Dwayne really acted that scene good it show really emotion that hes just lost a really good friend.The was a new character from cobra introduce in this film by the name of firefly played by punisher: war zone actor Ray Stevenson who had this ruthless quality that cobra commander liked,some he fight scene special with Dwayne was really good.Also Cameo role by superstar of the music industries RZA who played Blind Master that taught snake eyes how to fight & the new recruit jinx played by Elodie Yung,Also what was good was Dwayne quoted one of Jay-z quote from one of he's albums which really fitted well with the moment of that scene "in these mortal words of jay-z what ever he did to guide my life, dear lord don't let me die tonight, but if i shell before i wake I'll accept my fate, hell ya!!!" brilliant quote for the film by Dwayne Johnson.Bruce Willis was just awesome in this film as well special he house my god talk about having your house as a arsenal of weapon that you could start your own private war just classic Bruce Willis moment,you find his character to have a funny sarcastic side as well.This film is not one you want to miss, its is a well balance film in action & humour,toppled with some amazing special effect this is the best G.I JOE'S film Ive seen since the first one i hope to see more.

Dislike: I would of like to of seen cobra commander have a bit more involment in scene wise,didn't have that much scenes to be honest but it was a great film anyway.

Overall : Action,mayhem,best G.I JOE'S film you've seen since the first one.Unmissable so worth watching at the cinema or getting on DVD when it comes out.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 9.8 out of 10 for concept & costume design for cobra commander

 

 

 

The Awesome Jay-Z qoute by dwayne Johnson

Movie News: Roland Emmerich Reveals Story Details For Independence Day Sequels

by Eric Eisenberg

There has been talk about a sequel to the classic 90s sci-fi blockbuster Independence Day for years now, but for all that's been said about the project it has always seemed like a distant possibility. But now it seems all-too real.

With the first trailer for the new thriller White House Down arriving today, director Roland Emmerich sat down for a chat with Entertainment Weekly and during the conversation the filmmaker revealed a brief plot synopsis for what will end up be a two part sequel: ID Forever Part I and ID Forever Part II. According to Emmerich, who wrote the first draft of the script before handing it off to screenwriter James Vanderbilt (who worked with the director on the upcoming White House thriller), the story for the new film will be set 20 years after the events of the first film and center on a distress call that the aliens sent back to their home planet during the initial invasion of Earth.

"The humans knew that one day the aliens would come back," Emmerich said. "And they know that the only way you can really travel in space is through wormholes. So for the aliens, it could take two or three weeks, but for us that’s 20 or 25 years."

More than being just about another alien invasion, however, the film will also see how our world was affected by the events of the original and the technology left over from the attack. Because of the organic nature of the aliens' machinery, humans haven't been able to recreate the material, but have been able to implement it - such as using anti-gravity machines in airplanes.

As for the cast, Bill Pullman is set to reprise his role as Thomas J. Whitmore, but the bulk of the story will "focus on a new generation of human heroes, including the stepson of Will Smith’s Independence Day character."

Going for the "20 years later" angle could mean that the film is aiming for a 2016 release date, which obviously means that we still have a good long wait before the sequels are actually realized and put into production. Let's hope that they're worth the wait.

Movie news: White House Down Trailer: Channing Tatum And Jamie Foxx Save America

By Katey Rich

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

With that real quote from Abraham Lincoln, White House Down has planted its flag as the next thriller set inside the White House that will get audiences flocking to theaters. Coming just two days after Olympus Has Fallen's big box office weekend, the trailer-- which premiered at Moviefone-- establishes its own mythic tone, using the Lincoln quotes and a whole lot of impressive shots of Washington in chaos to prove its potential. And even though it stars Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, two men who have made careers of being very funny when necessary, the tone of the trailer remains deadly serious. Yes, it will probably be fun to watch director Roland Emmerich blow up Washington D.C. landmarks again. But it's gonna be intense too.

Foxx and Emmerich on hand to help premiere the trailer at a New York City theater earlier today, and they also presented a special treat: 8 more minutes of footage for the film, including a lot more detail about how the story pans out. We see Tatum's character John Cale, a Capitol cop with dreams of joining the Secret Service, go in for an interview with Maggie Gyllenhaal's character only to be turned down for the job. Hoping to save face for the sake of his daughter (Joey King), he takes her on a tour of the White House… right before it goes under attack from a group of domestic terrorists, led by Zero Dark Thirty's Jason Clarke. As that Lincoln quote in the trailer suggests, this isn't about a war led from the outside, but from a group of disgruntled government officials who take matters into their own hands. As Emmerich explained it, "It makes it more of a coup d'etat thriller."

Though we got to see a lot more of the action, including how Cale saves Foxx's President Sawyer from execution and how the two wind up escaping the White House in a bulletproof limo ("Ground Force One"), it crucially showed off the film's sense of humor. Driving the limo while the President prepares a rocket launcher, Tatum screams "Can you not hit me in the head with a rocket when I'm trying to drive?" When it comes time to grab a pair of shoes, the President leaves the shiny loafers and puts on a pair of Air Jordans; later, doing battle with a bad guy, Foxx yells "Get your hands off my Jordans!" After the footage ended, Tatum-- on satellite from a London theater-- said "Did you like the romantic comedy that we made? Me and Jamie wind up together, just so you know."

It's clear that the camaraderie between Tatum and Foxx is crucial to the movie, and based on the reaction from this afternoon's crowd, that camaraderie is already coming through loud and clear. Emmerich has screened the unfinished film for a test audience, and said he had "the loudest screening since Independence Day." And that's before he even finished the booming special effects that have made him famous.

White House Down opens June 28

Movie News: Ryan Reynolds says studio is reluctant to make an R-rated 'Deadpool' movie

Yesterday, I just finished writing about 10 reasons why I have fallen in love with Deadpool, and today I wake up to the disappointing news that the Deadpool movie is still mired in pre-production hell.
We’ve known about a potential Deadpool movie for at least a couple of years, but since then nothing in the way of major progress has been made. Ever since Ryan Reynolds played (a pretty disappointing) version of Deadpool in Wolverine: Origins he seems to have taken the Merc with a Mouth under his wing and personally championed the movie. Unfortunately, despite this big name endorsement, the studio are still reluctant to move to forward. While chatting to HeyUGuys, Reynolds explained:

It’s up to the studio. The studio I think is reluctant to pull the trigger on such a hard Rated-R script. Then the guys who wrote it and the producers won’t make it unless it’s that hard and, you know, raunchy.

This is a real shame. It shows that everything is in place to get the Deadpool ball rolling, however the only thing preventing it is a lack of enthusiasm from Fox. On the bright side, at least it shows Reynolds and the screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland) will not compromise their vision for Deadpool. At the moment, it sounds like a much purer representation than what we saw in Wolverine: Origins, indeed the last known director to be attached to the project, Tom Miller, reportedly called the script amazing.

Personally i don't think this film will be good without it being r-rated but that's just my opinion.

Movie News: 'Masters of the Universe' helmer wants Dolph Lundgren to return

 

BY Matt Carter

We reported a while back that G.I. Joe: Retaliation director Jon Chu was going to helm the rebooted Masters of the Universe and that original He-Man, and owner of the finest blond locks in Hollywood Dolph Lundgren, was also interested in dusting off of his leather cod-piece, sharpening his Power Sword (that sounds pretty weird, doesn’t it?) and returning for the reboot.
Chu has admitted that he’d be more than happy to get Lundgren back on board, revealing to Getty Images Entertainment (via Superherohype):

I don’t know if Dolph Lundgren is around or what he’s doing but, yeah, I think that could be some fun if we could find a way. I hope he still has the loin cloth and the long hair and everything.

By the power of Greyskull that would be awesome if it came true. Would you guys like to see Lundgren return for Masters of the Universe? Since it would probably only be a cameo, who would you like to see take on the role of He-Man?

Gerry Barnaby's Film Review: Jack the Giant Slayer

Genre: Adventure Drama Fantasy, Warning dose contain some scene that maybe disturbing.

Film Constance parent advised to read before watching :
Sex & Nudity:Jack and Isabelle kiss. Isabelle shows some cleavage in a few of her outfits. No sex or nudity.

Violence & Gore: Moderately intense battle scenes throughout between huge giants and humans. Some some people getting dismembered, mostly off screen or in the distance, so very little graphic detail and no blood

Profanity: One use of an incomplete F-Word (something like "fuhhh"), with some uses of "damn" and "ass."
Some crude humor (farting, burping, nose-picking). One use of an incomplete F-Word (something like "fuhhh"), with some uses of "damn" and "ass." Some crude humor (farting, burping, nose-picking).

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: None.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: Giants eat some humans, but mostly off screen or in the distance. The giants may be frightening to younger children. Some intense battle scenes with giants and humans getting killed with arrows, falling flaming trees, are getting smashed by flying debris.

Cert: 12A

Story: "Jack the Giant Slayer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend-and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Likes :First of all not a bad film,it was enjoyable to watch,good epic adventure theme with some comical moments mixed in.As we all know the story of jack & the bean stock this tale set a different tone to what we've seen before as in a twist in the story about a long war between the humans & giants.i think bryan singer has made a good enjoyable film that fun,epic adventure that most will enjoy.There is a large amount of C.G.I but but it doesn't come off as being fake like most C.G.I have been in the past with a pretty solid casting really set the tone & concept of the film.Pretty good casting for jack played by (Warm bodies star) Nicholas Hoult who play the farm boy hero of the film which was brilliant done,playing the love interest in the film the beautiful princess Isabelle who played by the stunning Eleanor Tomlinson was seriously beautiful,i loved her character a bit of a rebel that loved adventure her performance this film was brilliant.Ewan McGregor has become quiet the movie star as he plays the knight captain Elmont, Brilliant performance with hes character who seem to have a bit of a comical side to him.Stanley Tucci Plays the villain of the story Roderick who doesn't seem to last long in power,with he idiot side man Wicke played by Ewen Bremner who character seem to be this cocky little guy.Ian McShane play the King Brahmwell, he character Love's hes daughter Isabelle but doesn't want to lose her because he lost her mother,he performance was amazing playing this part,he seemed to be like his daughter with a rebellious streak.The moment i saw the two headed giant i was listening to the voice it,it none other than Bill Nighy who play Davie Jones in pirate of the caribbean,he the voice of General Fallon who character whats nothing but revenge for being trapped by king Erick years ago.The general i didn't even notice i played Ralph Brown you couldn't even see it was him with the beard & mustache,This is quiet enjoyable & at time funny to watch but it one of those film's you iver going to like or not.


Dislike: Well the begining of the film felt lazy with the back ground story,special with the whole film having really good C.G.I the back ground story was really bad cartoon C.G.I which i think could of been done better,Despite the good acting & concept of the storyline of the film, it could of been better than what it was there just wasnt a epic ending for a hero to stand out it felt like its been done before.

Overall : Epic adventure,few funny moment & some scary moment,but enjoyable to watch.

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 for entertainment / 6.3 out of 10 for concept & storyline

 

Movie News: Transformers 4 Synopsis Makes Scientists And Businessmen The Bad Guys

By Katey Rich

The state of Michigan continues offering serious financial incentives for film productions to set up shop within their borders, and now they've landed a seriously big fish. The Michigan Film Office announced today at their website that Transformers 4 has been approved for a film incentive from the state, and will start shooting in metro Detroit this spring.

Along with the announcement comes what amounts to the film's first plot synopsis, which you can read below:


"As humanity picks up the pieces, following the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control – all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and enslavement ensues."

That's all vague enough to be pretty much anything, but it's surprising not to read anything about the character who will be played by Jack Reynor, the youngun who will be replacing Shia LaBeouf for the film's younger viewers. For that matter it's hard to know where there will be a role for Mark Wahlberg, who's been touted as the lead for the new film but who usually doesn't play anyone you'd think of as either a scientist or a businessman. That said, it's not hard to imagine Wahlberg and Reynor as the scrappy rebels who tell the scientists and businessmen to quit messing with the boundaries of technology, since inevitably that'll lead to the return of the robots from space they've been trying to avoid.

Transformers 4 is projected to spend $81 million within the state of Michigan alone, which means that once again we're looking at a massive, massive production-- though maybe a bit smaller than the last one, as Bay has promised. The movie is set for release in June of next year.

Could we be Seeing Unicron in this 4th Transformers?

10 Superheroes who really don't need their own movie

By Gregory Ellwood.


1.Supergirl

Kal-El's cousin already had one shot at the big screen in the classic 1984 camp-fest "Supergirl" and it was a critical and commercial disaster (it was also the death knell in Fay Dunaway's legitimate movie career) . Films such as "Tomb Raider," "Wanted" and "Underworld" have proven that female-driven action or Sci-Fi films can be monster hits in the 21st Century, but the Maid of Might? Not only is DC Entertainment busy attempting to get Superman off the ground again with "Man of Steel," but Warner Bros. has spent decades trying to figure out how to bring "Wonder Woman" to the big screen. A "Supergirl" movie would only make sense if "Man of Steel" brings in "Avengers" like grosses. In fact, Kara Zor-El will be lucky to appear in a future "Justice League" sequel…(now that's an idea)

 

 

2.Nick Fury

When writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Bryan Hitch brought Nick Fury into the alternate Marvel Universe title "The Ultimates" in 2002 they did something truly inspired. Instead of making their Fury close to Marvel's WWII hero and S.H.I.E.L.D. super spy from the 60's, they based him on none other than Oscar nominee and current Olympics twitter maestro Samuel L. Jackson. The incarnation was such a hit that when Kevin Fiege and the Marvel Studios team began their own movie universe for the company they recruited Jackson (who had been campaigning for the role) to actually play a character that was based on himself. Jackson has been up to the task appearing a slew of Marvel Studios films beginning with a post credits cameo in the first "Iron Man." The problem is he's 63-years-old and, no offense to the former "Shaft," but it was clear even in "The Avengers" that he can't do action like he used to (hey, it happens to all of us, well, except Stallone). Now, will Marvel do a movie centered on Fury once Jackson has passed the baton to another actor? Possibly, but we just don't think a Jackson-centric solo Fury flick can work at this point in his career.

 

 

3.Wonder Woman

When Warner Bros. turns down drafts that are as faithfully rendered as the Laeta Kalogridis draft and the Joss Whedon draft, it's time to admit that they are too scared of the overall iconography of Wonder Woman to ever successfully turn her into a standalone franchise hero. This is not a case of no one ever writing the right script. They've done that several times now. This is a case of a mythology that is inherent to the character that Warner Bros. simply can't imagine supporting a series. Wonder Woman has historically had a hard time in the comic market supporting her own title as well, and while she is definitely one of the most iconic and recognizable of DC's creations, it seems like the most successful versions are almost always defined by who she's with and how she fits into a team. We don't think it's impossible to make a good Wonder Woman movie, but if Warner is uncomfortable with everything that defines who she is and where she came from, then it's better they not make one at all than make one that redefines her so completely that she's no longer really Wonder Woman.

 

 

4.Aquaman

After being the subject of a running joke on "Entourage" and the focus of an abandoned CW series, it seems that the maritime muscleman just don't get no respect. In the comics, several attempts have been made through the years to make the old-fashioned hero a little edgier (he has long hair! He has a hook for a hand!), but seemingly nothing can make Aquaman a marquee movie star.

 

 

 

 

5.Martian Manhunter

Warner Bros. Animation has done a great job of making Martian Manhunter feel like he fits neatly into the world of the Justice League over the past few versions of the show, and today's kids probably have a better understanding of the character than comics readers of the past. What the show has done so well, though, is show how he fits into this team, and he works best when he has "normal" humans to play off of. He is an observer, and without other people to observe, he's less interesting. He brings an unusual set of powers to the team, which also makes him a nice fit for the Justice League, and while we hope they include him in the film, we also hope they leave him there, on the team, instead of trying desperately to squeeze a solo film out of him. If that film fails, it will sour Warner on the character, and we'd rather have him in the team than completely left out of film altogether.

 

 

6.Superboy

First thing's first -- we want a solid Superman film before Warner Bros. begins mining the hero's extensive iconography for any sort of spin-off series. Besides, despite enduring -- but inconsistent -- popularity in the DC universe, audiences have just seen the Superboy story too many times before. They saw it in Richard Donner's 1978 film, in the late '80s TV series and in more than ten seasons of "Smallville." The bigger problem, however, is that DC has just rebooted Superboy (for the second time in two decades) and he's not a younger version of Kal-El. He's a partial clone of Kal-El and another alien race. It's an incredibly complex origin readers still aren't sure of which makes a movie version even more difficult to pull off.

 

 

 

7.Hawkman

One of DC's second-tier characters, Hawkman has never had much success being adapted into other media. The latest attempt was a clumsy introduction on "Smallville," with a costume that was widely ridiculed on the Internet. However, while Cartoon Networks' "Justice League Unlimited" turned his winged compatriot Hawkgirl into a viable and multifaceted character, translating either one of the alien heroes into a big budget live-action film would be extremely expensive for such a little-known property. Although it could be pretty cool to bring the DC universe back into outer space after the disappointing "Green Lantern," maybe it's best to keep this bird grounded.

 

 

 

 

8.Power Pack

On paper it seems like a Hollywood studio executive's dream. Four brothers and sisters - all under the age of 12 - awarded superpowers by a dying alien. They fight an evil alien reptilian race (Snarks) and interact with adult superheroes all while keeping their new identities secret from mom and dad. The problem is, what made the "Power Pack" comic so popular and successful in the mid-80's was that it wasn't afraid to tackle serious issues and it had a very scary dark side. It wasn't the cutesy series the Pack's costumes made it out to be. Moreover, the list of successful CG-fueled kids fantasy movies (as a Pack movie would need to be) over the past decade are few and far between ("Harry Potter" and "Chronicles of Narnia" excluded).

 

9. Shazam

DC's Captain Marvel has been part of their animated series and consumer efforts for years, but with the advent of the comic division's New 52 continuity reboot that hero is now gone. Don't feel bad for young Billy Batson though, he's still got the big golden lightening bolt emblazed on his chest but he's now going by Shazam instead. A movie based on the character has been in development with a number of different studios over the years, but it's never gotten off the ground. The new origin has tried to differentiate Shazam's powers by making him less like Superman (which has always been an issue creatively), but his fantastical magic origin in a modern day context may be too huge leap for moviegoers. Considering that "Green Lantern" couldn't creatively pull it off, Shazam, like Supergirl, may be a character that needs to find its footing in another film first.

 

 

 

10.Any more X-Men

Any other X-Men Sure, they're gearing up right now to make the second stand-alone Wolverine movie, but we sincerely hope Fox retires this "X-Men Origins" brand name and abandons the notion of a whole bunch of single mutant movies. One of the things that defines the X-Men is the notion of taking all of these broken, weird, damaged individual characters and building them into a team. Watching how they solve the issues inherent to teamwork is part of what makes the X-Men so great, and while it's nice to get an occasional glimpse of the characters by themselves in downtime, doing solo films sounds like a recipe for redundancy. There's nothing we gain from seeing them by themselves that we couldn't also learn by watching them as a group, and in a group, you can tell stories about how all of these individual quirks and weaknesses can become strengths because of the way they complement one another in terms of power and personality. Once Fox shows that they can make great X-Men movies every time out, then maybe we can revisit the idea of solo films, but until then, focus on the main asset you have and really get great at it.

 

The Top Ten Most Paused Movie Moments

by Germain Lussier.

We’ve all done it. We’re watching a movie and an image flashes by in an instant. Did we really just see that? So we patiently wait, remote in hand, until the precise second. You click the pause button like the whole remote just suddenly lit on fire and there it is….most likely one of these moments. A subscription based British movie site called LOVEFiLM (basically a European version of Netflix) took votes from their 1.6 million subscribers and came up with the top ten scenes in movies that people pause. And, though Kevin Williamson wrote about it in Scream, Tom Cruise’s penis in All the Right Moves did not make the list.

 

The Top Ten Most-Paused Movie Moments:

 



1. Sharon Stone crossing her legs – Basic Instinct (1992) – 31 %
No surprise here. Paul Verhoeven’s erotic thriller helped make Sharon Stone a super star as her character, the murderous Catherine Tramell, tries to seduce Michael Douglas’ character by briefly flashing her most intimate of areas. The scene has inspired numerous spoofs, references and young male libidos.

 

2. Jennifer Lopez naked rear – The Back-Up Plan (2010) – 16%
Jennifer Lopez has been a dancer, singer, actress, judge but she’s best known for one thing…her butt. In 2010′s The Back-Up Plan, audiences got a brief, rare glimpse at the superstar’s money maker in all its glory

 

3. Stormtrooper bangs his head – Star Wars – Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – 15%
Star Wars fans know this clip well. George Lucas famously left in this gaffe of a Stormtrooper hitting his head on the Death Star and while you don’t notice it the first see the movie, once you do notice it, it’s all you ever see. Not sure why this is paused – it works better as a clip – but its a hilarious moment.

4. Jamie Lee Curtis flash – Trading Places (1983) – 8%
Scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis was always known for being beautiful but it wasn’t until 1983′s Trading Places that audiences saw her topless. Here’s a famous quote on the subject from the 1996 film Scream:

Breasts? Not until “Trading Places” in 1983. Jamie Lee was always a virgin in horror movies. She didn’t show her tits ’til she went legits.

 

 

5. Jessica Rabbit goes commando – Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – 6%
Kathleen Turner’s sultry turn as one of, if not the, most sexualized animated characters of all time had plenty of suggestive dialogue, visuals, but none more than this scene where it’s pretty obvious she’s not wearing any underwear. I must admit, this is kind of creepy.

 

 

6. Brad Pitt flashes behind doctor in hospital – Fight Club (1999) – 5%
Fight Club, directed by David Fincher based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is filled with pause-worthy moments. Some obvious and some not so much, like this one where Brad Pitt flashes in a hospital. No wonder is probably a favorite with the ladies.

 
7. Captain America’s shield appears on desk – Iron Man 2 (2010) – 4%
One of the first of the many Easter Eggs linking the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jon Favreau’s inclusion of Captain America’s shield in Iron Man 2 was super subtle, but very exciting. And it makes sense as we later found out Tony’s father Howard helped create Cap.

 
8. Dust spells out ‘S.F.X’ – The Lion King (1994) – 3%
Before YouTube, this clip from the Academy Award-winning Disney film was one of the first viral moments. Disney animators were famous for putting in subliminal messages and this one, which looks like the word “Sex,” was widely debated. Personally, I still don’t see it.


 

9. Pacman cameo – Tron (1982) -2%
The year is 1982. Home video games are just becoming super popular and you see a movie as visually stunning as Tron. Then, in a blink, it seems like there’s one of your favorite characters on the screen. Did it actually happen? In the case of Tron, it did and the fact that it happened so long ago was probably a shock to audiences not used to this kind of thing.

 

 

10. Nicole Kidman rear-end flash – Eyes Wide Shut (1999) – 1%

Famous, naked women are always pause worthy and this moment in Stanley Kubrick’s final film is certainly one of those. Kidman and Cruise both went all out for the master filmmaker and in a movie with a bunch of nudity, this is definitely one of the most exciting.

 

Well there’s no surprise that female nudity accounts for four of the ten places (five if you are creepy and count Jessica Rabbit) plus, of course, there’s a Brad Pitt butt shot. I’m more surprised that the famous Stormtrooper faux-pas made the list, simply because it really has to be seen at full speed to fully enjoy it. Also, it’s crazy that Iron Man 2 (and The Back-Up Plan?!?) made such a strong showing so fast. Plus, I have to admit, I had never seen the Pac-Man cameo in Tron.

Gerry Barnaby's Film Review: Lincoln

Genre: Biography Drama History, contain war scenes & strong racial language

Film Constance parent advised to read before watching :
Sex & Nudity:There is no suggestive nudity and no sex.Women are shown wearing low-cut dresses that reveal cleavage.In one scene, Mary is undressing for bed, showing her undergarments (which are modest compared to today's). Her bare shoulder and upper chest are shown.An unmarried man and woman lie side by side in bed under the covers, fully clothed in long nightgowns. They briefly kiss.

Violence & Gore: The film opens on a battle scene; people are stabbed with bayonets, beaten and pushed deep into the mud to drown. The sequence isn't bloody, but it vividly conveys the horrors of war. Toward the end of the war, Lincoln visits a battlefield strewn with bloody corpses. One mangled body has its torso splayed open, devoid of organs. We see a city burning.
When Lincoln visits wounded war vets, his son Robert follows orderlies pushing a cart that's dribbling blood along the way. The conveyance stops at a huge pit filled with human limbs, and the orderlies unveil the cart's contents - newly amputated legs and arms. They dump the contents in the pit as people begin to fill in the hole with dirt.
When Robert and his father get into an argument, Lincoln slaps him across the face.
Lincoln is shown on his deathbed, a bloodstained pillow beneath his head.

Profanity: One or two f-words. Four or five s-words. Derogatory terms for African-Americans several times, including the n-word. Also heard are: "b--ch", "bloody", "G--d--n" more than a dozen times. Jesus' name is misused once. There is a civil war era insult, "pettifogging", which, when used in the film, may sound like another F-word is used.

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Several characters are shown drinking (wine, beer and other presumably alcoholic beverages) and smoking (mostly cigars). Preston Blair's wife instructs a servant to get him drunk during a long journey so he'll be able to sleep. Lobbyists seem inebriated in a scene or two.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: A scene where Abraham Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln visit a few wounded soldiers could be upsetting. They all have had their legs amputated, and the stumps are well-bandaged. Another scene shows their legs being dumped into what could be described as a mass grave of amputated limbs.Although Lincoln's assassination is not shown, it is announced with his younger son, Tad, present, who then screams hysterically from grief.There is fighting between Lincoln and his wife near the end of the film. A lot of shouting at each other over their son Robbie's enlistment into the Union army.The main theme of this film is slavery and racism. Some people will likely be offended by the more racist characters, including one character who mentions women's rights, to great protest from the crowd, but of course slavery is defeated in the end and the heroes are all against it.

Cert: 12A i would say 15 cert at best due to contents.

Story: In 1865, as the American Civil War winds inexorably toward conclusion, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln endeavors to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery from the United States. However, his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if it comes before the amendment is passed, the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. Lincoln must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from a recalcitrant Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. Yet the president is torn, as an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience -- end slavery or end the war.

Likes : I tell ya watching this film it no wonder this film got an Oscar fanstically made, an almost all star cast with brilliant performance by all & the fantastic Danial day Lewis which i find one of the greatest actors around playing Lincoln was top notice.This is probably one of the best film portraying Lincolns life trying to stop a war & stop slavery for good,considering the history of the war & the era this film is set in, i see Lincoln as one of the best men in history to be the president of the USA,not only a man worthy of honor but a man who believed that all people were equal, Daniel Day-Lewis really played this role down to perfection, you could really feel the emotion & the struggle he had to face in trying to stop a war & free slavery but was fighting people hell bent on keeping slavery & thinking that all coloured people have the devil in them, typical religious racist bullshit that west Americans had in them days.This is why Lincoln was famous for freeing the slavery & stopping the war but sealed he's fate has some people didn't like the fact he had people that loved him & that he seal the 5Th amendment that all colour people were free & the war to stop, he was shot for it.sadly that legacy he left behind was short lived as america turned to it old ways & never learned from its mistakes.this film really show brilliances in film making special when you have actors like Danial Day Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones all the finest actors around in film.

Dislike: This film was brilliant made.

Overall : A good film on history,great scene & performance by all star,a worth watching film if your in to history films.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 10 out of 10 for concept / history.

 

Gerry Barnaby's Film Review: Wreck It Ralph

Genre: Animation Adventure Comedy All round Family film which Dose contain some scene that may disturb younger viewers.

Film Constance parent advised to read before watching :
Sex & Nudity: There a few kissing scene & breif scene of a soldier stripe naked.

Violence & Gore: All direct violence is cartoonish without fear of lasting consequence or pain,A sequence involves Ralph entering a dark, modern "first-person shooter" game called Hero's Duty. This game contains scenes of automatic gun firing, with bullets are replaced by green bursts, and explosions. These automatic weapons are used to shoot at mindless bug creatures which explode in green goo.there is a joke that that a character job in his game is to "crush a man's skull like a sparrow's egg between his thighs,A cyborg fighter playfully rips out a zombie's heart and then returns it to him without hurt feelings.a scene potentially disturbing for younger viewers, Ralph destroys the car that he and Vanellope created. She does not understand why he is doing it and cries out for him to stop.In a flashback intended as comical, a hard-edged female Sergent explains how a giant bug creature burst into her wedding ceremony and devoured the groom, in one non-explicit "gulp."
In a slapstick scene, Sergent Calhoun repeatedly punches Fix-It Felix in the face (at his request), causing injuries which he heals immediately using his superpower,Ralph burns his feet in lava like boiling hot diet cola but does not show lasting pain or wounds.In a nightmare sequence, a likeable character is shown being sucked into a vortex while screaming for help (unambiguously described as her death) when her native video game is unplugged.

Profanity: A girl makes several jokes about the word "duty," clearly implying that she's thinking of it as "doody," meaning defecation.
Surprising number of double entendre insults (for a Disney movie) like "come on you pussy willows", and "move your molasses".
A main character says "Like fun you are!" suggesting a stronger profanity.
When building a racing car a girl asks for a "butt-load" of frosting.
Video game characters are seen drinking from martini glasses in a party sequence.

A key scene involves a support group for video game villains, which is set-up in the movie like an alcoholics meeting would be, including a group affirmation at the end. The main character later recites this affirmation when in his most desperate moment
A girl makes several jokes about the word "duty," clearly implying that she's thinking of it as "doody," meaning defecation.
Surprising number of double entendre insults (for a Disney movie) like "come on you pussy willows", and "move your molasses".
A main character says "Like fun you are!" suggesting a stronger profanity.
When building a racing car a girl asks for a "butt-load" of frosting.

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Video game characters are seen drinking from martini glasses in a party sequence.
A key scene involves a support group for video game villains, which is set-up in the movie like an alcoholics meeting would be, including a group affirmation at the end. The main character later recites this affirmation when in his most desperate moment

Frightening/Intense Scenes: .Throughout the film, characters have the threat of "dying for real" if they are killed outside their own game.The fast-paced militaristic scenes inside the Hero's Duty game may be too intense for some viewers, particularly young children. It is a visually dark, dystopian "first-person shooter" game with a swarm of large alien bug-like creatures,but ralph character keep the scene comical.

Cert: PG cert

Story: Ralph (John C. Reilly) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer), the "good guy" star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he's tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he's got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, he meets the tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero's Duty. But it's the feisty misfit Vanellope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, whose world is threatened when Ralph accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Will Ralph realize his dream and save the day before it's too late?

Likes : Out of all the main live action film that have come out this year we get the odd animated film that is outstanding & completely funny.Pixar has brought us a masterpiece of family entertainment once again with wreck it Ralph,Ive never laughed so much watch this film,it has all the family trait joke along with kids entertainment, those of us that grow up on the old arcade in the 1980s will love this film seeing all the favorite character from Zangief & m bison from street fighter,Kano from mortal kombat,PAC man,egg man from sonic & many others.I completely love this film, Altho i have to Amite some scene maybe be Little disturbing for a younger viewer under the age of 7 but they did make the scene i little more comical & funny so not to make it to scary for kids.I think they got the right actors to do the voice overs,John C. Reilly as Ralph, Sarah Silverman as the annoying but funny little girl Vanellope, Jack McBrayer as Fix it Felix, Jane Lynch as Calhoun of hero duty game, Alan Tudyk as King Candy, Mindy Kaling as Taffyta Muttonfudge, Joe Lo Truglio as Markowski, Ed O'Neill as Mr. Litwak, Dennis Haysbert as General Hologram, Edie McClurg as Mary, Raymond S. Persi as Gene / Zombie, Jess Harnell as Don, Rachael Harris as Deanna, Skylar Astin as Roy, Adam Carolla as Wynnchel.You couldnt go wrong for family entertainment than wreck ralph one of the best anitmated film ive seen since wall-E,complete fun all the way through,great storyline mixed with 80s style video games & comical jokes.i love the meet room with all the other bad guys of games that was so funny.The storyline will make you laugh & cry with emotion with it well made concept.

Dislike: None,all round great family film,i would of love to seen sonic & the other character more but it a great film on its own.

Overall : Great family Entertainment,funny as hell,great concept on 80s style arcade characters,a worth watching film for your kids & family.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 9.8 out of 10 for concept & storyline.