Jun 23 2006New Spider-Man Poster and More From Licensing Show
After the promising black suit image from a few months back, this new poster for Spider-Man 3 blows. Yeah, I get it, he swings around and shoots web. Is this the best they can come up with when they've got four villains and a new costume? There's a reason Jenna Jameson can't do softcore anymore. They've shown us more and we won't tolerate less.
See more shots from the licensing show, including a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles display, over here. Also pictured are some hot twins and a Batman made of Legos. It only makes sense.
Jun 23 2006Futurama Returning With New Episodes in 2008
Here's some good news for Futurama fans. In a deal with Comedy Central, new episodes of the series are set to begin production and start airing in 2008:
Comedy Central has resurrected the former Fox animated series from "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. At least 13 new episodes will be produced for the first time since the series originally ran from 1999-2003. New and old episodes will begin airing in 2008 on Comedy Central. Actors Billy West, Katey Sagal and John DiMaggio have agreed to return as voices for "Futurama."
Best of all about the renewal is that it spawned an inspired new idea from Seth MacFarlane: Future Guy! It's like Futurama, but everyone's stockier, there's a talking dog, and people make snide comments like this about it to get into arguments about which is funnier.
Jun 22 2006Sunshine Footage With Danny Boyle Introduction
Looking like something of a hybrid of Armageddon and Alien, a trailer of sorts for Danny Boyle's Sunshine is online, with an introduction by the director. The movie follows a team of astronauts sent to the sun in the hopes of reviving the dying star, restoring sunshine to earth. Because if we don't have sunshine, all we've got left are lollipops and rainbows to make us feel wonderful. And the long, luxurious eyelashes of Cillian Murphy.
Jun 22 2006Matt Damon Playing Captain Kirk?
Following rumors that his cohort, Ben Affleck, was up for the role, Matt Damon is now said to be sought for the role of the young Star Trek captain James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' possible prequel to the franchise:
I'm told J.J. ABRAMS is very interested in casting the Oscar-winning Damon as a young Captain Kirk in the upcoming 'Star Trek' movie that he's directing and producing. He's so interested that he's apparently already sought support from the original Kirk, WILLIAM SHATNER. "Shatner gave his blessing," my source says.
If this is true, they might as well just go ahead and cast Affleck as Spock and make the whole thing Good Will Hunting at the Starfleet Academy. Instead of reciting his classic "how do you like them apples" zing, young Kirk could update it for the 23rd century. Like, "How do you like them tribbles?" or whatever the equivalent of apples would be for them. Space apples?
Jun 21 2006How They Got Brando Talkin' In Superman Returns
One of the few things that makes Superman Returns a semi-sequel to the 1978 classic is that Marlon Brando reprises his role as Jor-El, Superman's father. Ain't It Cool News has a great video up that shows exactly how the digital effects team went about manipulating existing footage to add dialogue to Brando's performance for the new film. Once you learn how to do it, you can try it with your own father to transform his belligerent screaming into an "I love you."
Jun 21 2006Borat Movie Trailer
If you love the mockery of foreign culture as much as I do, check out the trailer for Borat. It's been floating around YouTube for a while, but was usually taken down shortly after posting--this version promises stability. Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of Ali G, stars as Borat Sagdiyev, journalist from Kazakhstan, who is sent to America to produce a documentary for his country. I always thought Borat was the best character Cohen created, so this should hopefully turn out better than the Ali G movie.
The film does come with a bit of controversy, as some people, particularly those from Kazakhstan, have found Borat offensive in his portrayal of the sexist, racist character, but it's important that we remember that Kazakhstan and other less developed countries like it are mocking the United States simply by existing. Get up to speed, fellas. You're making us look bad to aliens.
Jun 21 2006Natalie Portman in Kavalier and Clay?
Michael Chabon, writer of Wonder Boys and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, has updated his blog with some fine information about the latter novel's film adaptation, including the casting of at least one part:
Miss Natalie Portman is a strong likelihood for the part of Rosa; other casting is ongoing, as are work on the script (a lot of cutting) and tests conducted by a number of top-drawer animation studios (for the comic book elements). Quick answers (as of this date): Golem: yes. Antarctica: yes. Gay love story: yes. Ruins of World's Fair: no. Long Island: no. Orson Welles: no. Salvador Dali: yes. Loving reference to Betty and Veronica: no. Stan Lee: no.
The Pulitzer Prize winning novel is amazing, so I'm hoping this film version will turn out at least as well as Wonder Boys. Until this shows up in other source more definitive than a blog, I'm going to take this one as rumor. After all, my blog (diary) has been calling Natalie Portman a strong contender as a sexual partner for several years and that still isn't happening. Though, flipping through its pages, my prediction that I'd "feel uncomfortable taking my shirt off in public or private settings" has proved itself true time and time again.
Jun 20 2006Preview the Superman Returns Soundtrack
If your dramatic reenactments of Superman trailer scenes are lacking a certain flavor, fear not: the soundtrack to Bryan Singer's Superman Returns is available for listening! Now as your brutally punch your pillow in the name of Krypton, the drama will transcend that drawing of the scene you made on an Arby's napkin. Jumping off your mother's dining room table will take flight while pumping this inspirational soundtrack. Listen over and over until you memorize it, then hum it while you wait overnight for tickets. During the movie, too. I'm sure no one will mind--you're fucking Superman.
Warning: there's no Nickelback.
Jun 20 2006David Lynch Expands Into Ringtone Market
Wish your phone was creepy and took multiple listenings to fully "get" it? Then try the new David Lynch ringtones available at his website. For only $3.99, you can leave people wondering if the bizarre director of Lost Highway and Eraserhead is yelling vulgarities at them from your pocket. "What the hell!? Damn! What the hell!?" he screams in one. Or if your mother or priest is present, maybe switch to the less offensive "Holy Jumpin' George! Holy Jumpin' George!" As weird as these are, it's still not as strange to me as the daily weather reports he's been doing. Or his hairstyle, for that matter.
Jun 20 2006Entertainment Weekly Lists Most Controversial Movies EVER
Since you're bored enough to be reading this, I'll assume you also have time to waste examining unnecessary lists, so take a look at Entertainment Weekly's picks for the most controversial movies ever made. Besides maybe #25, Aladdin, I don't know how many surprises there are on the list, but luckily it's filled with EW's sloppy, over-casual prose to keep you interested. Or if you're too lazy to bother clicking through their bullshit, I'll just tell you the winner. It's The Passion of the Christ. Second place went to A Clockwork Orange, while at a disappointing third, we have Jesus and the Baby Rapers.
Jun 20 2006Katie Couric Useless to Today Show
I hope you've already placed your wagers, because you're moments from reading the winner of this week's "Fuck You Katie Couric Award." This week, the honor goes to her old haunt, NBC's Today, which has not noticed a slip in ratings since the departure of the dolphin toothed co-host:
In the measurements that mean the most to television executives — ratings and ad sales — NBC's "Today" show appears not to have suffered from the departure of Katie Couric, at least not yet. "Today" beat second-place "Good Morning America" of ABC by an average of 1.3 million viewers in the two weeks following Couric's last show on May 31, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Who needs you now, KC? As long as we've got Roker and the Smucker's "Nearly Dead" report by Willard Scott, we're doing just fine, you old wretch. Your brand of giggly journalism isn't wanted here.
I don't mean that. Katie, come home.
Jun 19 2006Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Trailer
A new trailer has been released for the Will Ferrell comedy Taladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, in which the creative team from Anchorman take on the world of NASCAR. While this trailer looks a little funnier than the previous one, strangely, it's still not as funny to me as actual NASCAR races. Or at least not funnier than NASCAR tattoos. Especially if you don't even like NASCAR, and some guys in a bar just gave it to you in the back of a van after they heard you saying how funny you thought NASCAR races were. And even more so if they gave you another tattoo on your back that says, "if you can read this, do it harder." But if won't be that funny to you.
Jun 19 2006The Science of Sleep Trailer (in French)
I'm going to tell you right now, the French language was a real detriment to my fully enjoying this Science of Sleep trailer. Primarily because I don't know French. I couldn't decipher much about the plot, but unlike previous clips I've seen, at least this seemed to imply there is a plot of some kind. Everything I'd seen before just seemed like if a hobo's stream of consciousness were turned into a music video. Though if a hobo were to somehow make their stream of consciousness into a video, they'd have really earned that 85 cents I threw at their feet before running away.
Jun 19 2006Zoom One-Sheet
Pretending that The Incredibles and Sky High don't exist, Zoom explores the idea of common folks with super powers in an easy-to-watch, family-friendly form. From what I can decipher from the poster, what sets this one apart is that it's got Tim Allen, this fat kid with a big fist, and the rarely seen, partially-invisible Hanson brother. God made his lower half invisible to help him fight temptations of the flesh, while the other three were able to do so simply by never hitting puberty.
