It’s great news for fans of the James Bond franchise this week as its been officially confirmed that Daniel Craig, who in 2006 signed up for his licence to kill in three bond movies has now signed to star as Britain’s favourite secret agent in another two, which like the previous ones will be financed by MGM and Sony pictures. The movies will put Daniel Craig into third on the list behind Roger Moore, who played Bond seven times and Sean Connery who played Bond on six occasions (plus one unofficial Bond movie Never Say Never Again). Craig will make it five movies taking over his predecessor Pierce Brosnan who made four.
Personally I see this as great news, for me Daniel Craig has totally re-invented the Bond franchise. I wouldn’t say I’ve been the biggest fan of Bond movies in the past, in fact I haven’t seen most of them. My main squeeze would have to have been the Sean Connery era if any, I’ve only seen Die Another Day from the Pierce Brosnan days and I made my feelings clear on that one a while back now.
2006’s Casino Royale really saw Bond taken back to how it should be, no silly gadgets just pure kick ass action with an actor in Daniel Craig who really did look like he could kick serious ass, the love story was still there as it is in all Bond outings but being the prequel it showed us why Bond dealt with the lady’s in the latter (although made before) movies. Two years later 2008 saw the release of Quantum of Solace, panned by some critics as disappointing and not as good as the first, I don’t share that opinion I think Quantum of Solace was every bit as good and you can check out my thoughts on proceedings here.
In October this year Craig’s third outing as Bond will be released in the UK. Skyfall comes four years after Quantum of Solace and in the mean time Daniel has been off getting married to Rachael Weisz and making other movies such as The Invasion which I reviewed a while back, an unusually long break thanks to MGM’s financial troubles of late, however writers and producers are glad of the break as they feel they’ve had more time to do a “proper” job on the movie which I posted the trailer for a while ago, all the regulars will be back including Judi Dench as M. New people are coming into the mix with “Q” back in the Bond franchise for the first time since the days of Brosnan and will be played by Ben Wishaw, and there is a new bad guy in the shape of Javier Bardem.
Personally I can’t wait for Skyfall, one of 2012’s most anticipated movies and Daniel Craig signing on for another two Bond movies is not a bad thing in my opinion.
Could we be seeing I am Legend 2? It looks like it according to Deadline Warner Brothers have closed a deal with Ovebrook Entertainment to make another I Am Legend following their hit 2007 movie starring Will Smith. They are yet to announce weather the movie would be a prequel or a sequel, the latter may be more difficult as I remember Will Smith running into a group of Zombie looking sorts and blowing himself up along with his lab. I can see where there will be room for a prequel as the story in I Am Legend picked up as the man made virus had took over the world and people were being transported out of New York City, leaving Will Smith to carry the movie himself for the following two hours. That would leave plenty of scope for a movie running up to this.
Will Smith is yet to be back on board with the movie, saying he won’t commit until he has seen a script. Clearly though Warner Brothers are wanting to cash in on what was a massive box office hit grossing $584m worldwide, if they want Smith’s signature then I would imagine it would cost them at least $25m, small change when movies are making this sort of money. Asides from talk of I Am Legend 2 Will Smith is also in talks to bring back his unconventional Superhero character Hancock, again the movie is only in talks right now.
There are a couple of good movies out this week but it’s nothing spectacular, nothing that makes me really want to get up and go to the cinema, it really doesn’t seem to matter what is released lately nothing seems to be able to knock War Horse from the top spot. I don’t think anything this week will be changing that so without further adieu let’s see what’s new at your local cinema.
The weeks biggest release has to go to CHRONICLE, the new superhero movie brought to us by Josh Trank, the movies stars Dane DeHaan, Alex Russel and Michael B. Jordan.
Chronicle is the tale of three American teenagers who one day make a discovery that will change their lives, the three gain superpowers which at first in the movie are used to comic effect. However Chronicle quickly turns face from your normal teenage prank comedy down a darker route with the tag line “what are you capable of” the movie switches to a horror genre with one of the kids using his powers for a more sinister adventure, before long the kids lives are spinning out of control as the three embrace their darker sides.
If I had to liken this to anything I would have to say Skins or Misfits from the UK’s channel 4, it certainly does not resemble any of the big Hollywood superhero adventures we are used to, take a look at the trailer and let me know what you think.
Next up this week its MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, I have to be honest I thought this was a chick flick until I saw the review on Film 2012 with Claudia Winkleman. The movie stars Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes;
This is not a chick flick, in fact it’s more of a psychological thriller which centre’s on Martha (Olsen) a girl who for two years lived in a hippie like cult, not liking the lifestyle she escapes and goes to live with her sister and brother in law where she becomes known as Marcy May, her family soon discover that Marcy May is haunted by dreams from her past and before long she is struggling to separate dreams from reality as she can’t stop the past resurfacing the family realise that Marcy may need more help than they can provide.
Although this movie is not what I thought I still think that it will be very good, on Film 2012 they were surprised that it hasn’t been mentioned for Oscars and from what I gather Elizabeth Olsen is a lot more talented than her older siblings Mary-Kate and Ashley.
For the kids this week JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, the follow up to 2008’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth and stars Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine.
It’s a kiddies adventure movie and it’s in 3D, so no doubt it will do quite well at the theatre, I have never seen the original so won’t be going to see this adventure either. The story centere’s on Sean Anderson (Hutcherson) who convinces his mothers boyfriend Hank (Johnson) to help him find his grandfather (Michael Caine) who is missing on a mythical island.
It’s green screen galore with lots of wildlife and scenery, I don’t think it will be anywhere near as good as Avatar but that is what you could liken it to, enjoy the trailer I have posted below.
Just a quick one from me this morning to let all my readers know about a fantastic deal which is available to you all at LOVEFiLM.com, as you have probably guessed from the title of this post the offer is a 30 day free trial with the UK's biggest DVD, Blu-Ray rental and online streaming service. Not only is that a great offer to get you started but LOVEFiLM have also dropped the prices of all their top packages of late, for only £9.99 a month you can have unlimited DVD and Blu-ray rental along with online streaming of movies and top TV shows. If you prefer something a little more modest then you could subscribe to same package as me £5.99 a month, for that you get 3 DVD or Blu-ray rentals a month along with two hours of online streaming, like what you see? Then you can sign up to LOVEFiLM from the link below.
I suppose you are wondering what I think of LOVEFiLM, that's fine there is a full review of the quality service they provide HERE, and don't worry if you like what you see over there then you can get over to LOVEFILM and get signed up, read a review of my latest Blu-ray rental Inception starring Leonardo Di Caprio.
I won't just be putting this out today as you know I review TV shows and movies everyday here at Movies Music & Television, later I will be back to reviewing Dexter's first season with what has been the best episode yet "Return to Sender" so, don't forget to come back later on following your visit to LOVEFiLM.
Ice Cube is a guy that likes to keep himself pretty busy these day’s, he is currently front lining Are We There Yet for TV, the show will be based on the movie from 2005 in which he starred. He is more recently involved with serious cop drama Rampart (recently reviewed here) and has a role upcoming in 21 Jump Street.
Now he has announced that his company Cube Vision will be front running a new show for FX called Eye For An Eye. Ice Cube will produce and star along with his Cube Vision business partner Matt Alvarez. In the show Cube will play a long serving paramedic who becomes sick of leaving violent crimes with people badly hurt in the back of his ambulance, one day he decides to something about it and becomes a little vigilante deciding to go Eye For An Eye.
Who else thinks this sounds a little like Dexter? Ok he’s not a blood spatter expert but he does work in the medical profession, at least the vigilante side sounds like Dexter, or maybe Person Of Interest.
Ok who loves WWE Wrestling? Not me, I do like the showman ship involved with the sport and I used to watch a lot of the sport when I was younger, that was when people like the Rock and the Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Scotty 2 Hotty (remember him? The Worm), most of the guys from back then wised up a little deciding that all the bumps to the head were not doing them any favours. They followed Hulk Hogan and moves into the movie industry, admittedly most of them have done a much better job than he did but you get my point. Remember the name Chris Benoit the former Heavyweight World Champion? Yeah, me too, he was on the go the same time as the guys I mentioned above. In 2007 Benoit ended his life after he murdered his wife and 7 year old son.
Now SRG Films are planning on bringing his tragic story to the big screen, the movie will be named Crossface and the script is based on the book Ring Of Hell: The Story Of Chris Benoit and the fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. Benoit was in the WWE from 2000 until his death in 2007, prior to that he started his wrestling career in his native Canada before moving to Japan. Benoit's story shed light on the dangers of the sport of wrestling, along with the anabolic steroids found in his home it was also revealed that Benoit had suffered severe Brain damage due to repeated untreated concussions. The first draft of the script has already been submitted with a view to start shooting some time next year. Like I said above I’m not a fan of wrestling now but this is a movie I would watch.
Some news from what will probably be one of the biggest movies of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises. The movie has finally wrapped shooting and the films star man Christian Bale has said “I will never be Batman again”, he said that both he and Director Christopher Nolan have come to the end of their Batman era.
It’s a shame really, Christian Bale has done with Batman what Daniel Craig done with Bond, the original starring Bale, Batman Begins was recently reviewed here, I thought it was great and it changed my opinion on who the best superhero is.
The Dark Knight Rises is set years later than The Dark Knight and we will be looking at a much older Bruce Wayne according to the director, and we know the new bad guy is going to be Bane played by Tom Hardy giving Batman a new challenge. There are the only slight plot details he would give away. Liam Neeson has also distanced himself from appearing in the upcoming movie.
More movie news for you now, the other week in the news we unveiled (along with just about every other movie blog on the planet) the new name for Bond 23. The movie will be called Skyfall and is a standalone movie having nothing to do with it’s two predecessors. We also found out that British actor Ben Wishaw (Layer Cake, The Hour) had secured himself a part in the movie, only thing was we didn’t know what his role was.
The rumour mill done it’s usual but now it has been confirmed that Wishaw is the new “Q”, a character who has not been seen in a Bond movie since Daniel Craig took over the role for Casino Royale, this will no doubt have Bond enthusiasts doing back flips and suggests that maybe this new Bond movie is going to have a slightly lighter gadgetry side to it.
Anyone here follow me on Hubpages? No, well don’t worry you haven’t missed much, I really don’t have time to do much there. I wrote something a while back now regarding the top 5 80’s action movies. I missed off Mad Max: The Road Warrior starring a very Australian Mel Gibson. I have been meaning to get round to seeing it, but that just has not worked out as yet.
I may have to get round to it sooner rather than later though. In early 2012 a new Mad Max film is about to start shooting starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, the movie which will be named Mad Max: Fury Road, I don’t have any plot details for you but I do have a little scoop for you Mad Max fans. Fury Road will be followed by a second updated movie named Mad Max: Furiosa and apparently they have nearly completed a script for a third which is currently untitled. The movie makes are also working with video game producers L.A Noire to turn Mad Max into a video game.
Right, It's December so what do you expect? Christmas movies for one, and this week there are two to mention in what will be a shorter than usual post with probably only one movie which is worth going to see this weekend, unless you have kids of course.
First one to mention this week, The Thing, another remake of a movie where I have not seen the original which was released in 1982 the year I was born.
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton and Ulrich Thomsen
The plot confuses me a little here, in a Antarctica research station a graduate student Kate Lloyd and a scientist Dr Sander Halvorsen have a falling out due to the discovery of an alien craft. Kate sides with helicopter pilot Sam Carter to pursue the alien life form.
I do intend on getting around to seeing this movie so stick around for the review in a week or two, want to see a review now? Then go see Glen at 1 Man, 365 Movies! he done a great review of it just the other week, it'll be sure to give you a laugh.
Next up is a movie I believe they are calling an epic, Hugo is the new animated featurette brought to us from Martin Scorsese, he done Shark Tale remember?
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz and Christopher Lee
Set in 1930's Paris (that's me put off straight away) Hugo follows the life of a 12 year old boy, named Hugo funnily enough. Hugo lives in the walls of the train station but soon becomes involved in a mystery involving his father and an automaton.
This is supposedly an epic, for me though I'm really just not interested in the slightest it's a kids movie, one which reminds me a little of the Polar Express. I don't know why as most of Hugo is not animated and has real people in, I suppose it's a Christmas movie thing.
Ok to Happy Feet Two now, seen the first one? No me neither and I don't really intend on seeing this one as it's taken a bit of a panning critic wise, that's not to say they are right but the fact I haven't seen the first will keep me away from the theatre this weekend.
Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink, Matt Damon, Bradd Pitt and Hugo Weaving
It's about a Penguin called Mumble who can dance, argh how cute, I think Mumble is played by Elijah Wood (don't quote me on that). Mumble tries to bring the Penguin nations together.
That's really as much as I know, seriously. I mean what do you want me to say. I have Mumble'd on long enough, right? Right. I told you this would not be to long, enjoy the trailer.
I’ve not done on of these posts for a while now and this week I ran across two great looking movies which need to be shared. I’m going to do them in separate posts so the other will be later in the week. The first one I’m going to talk about is Rampart starring Woody Harrelson. I spoke about this in the news a while ago now as it had premiered at the Toronto International film festival in September, there it took a standing ovation and many critics have said that Woody Harrelson may finally win the Oscar he has so narrowly missed out on in the past.
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Sigournay Weaver, Ice Cube, Steve Buscemi and Anna Heche
Rampart is set in 1999, Los Angeles and is based on the real life L.A.P.D Rampart scandal. Harrelson plays the lead role of Dave Brown last of the renegade cops, playing by the old rules. Trying to balance his family life with two broken marriages behind him, Dave becomes more deeply involved with the infamous Rampart scandal. Take a look at the trailer and let me know what you think.There really is not to much info about this movie just yet, nor do I know enough about the Rampart scandal to tell you too much. I have checked it out and it involved an anti gang unit (CRASH) set up by the L.A.P.D and a lot of their officers became involved, some were found to be on the payroll of then Death Row records owner Marion “Suge” Knight, with others believed to be involved in the drive by shooting of Biggie Smalls aka Notorious B.I.G.
I really think this looks worth your time, it's one of the most explosive trailers I have seen for a long time and due to the rating it’s received I will be watching the movie myself in the next couple of days and have the review for you on Monday, don't want to miss it then make sure you SUBSCRIBE to the site in some way.
Great new this week especially if you’re a fan of Chris Tucker, Ice Cube or any of the Friday movies, I don’t know about you but, for me the second two movies didn’t quite cut the mustard so to speak but, the first one, the original Friday starring both Tucker as Smokey and Cube as Craig would have to go down as one of the best hood movies of all time.
I absolutely loved the the 1995 original, I lost count of how many times I saw this movie as a teenager, a bit like Menace II Society it’s one of those that during my teenage years you just had to see.
The movie turned Tucker into a bonified movie star and really brought Ice Cube out as a family guy as apposed to the hard ass Compton NWA rapper we all knew previously. Now New Line Cinema and Ice Cube are sitting down and passing round a joint whilst discussing the possibility of a fourth Friday movie which Ice Cube will will write and lead reprising his role as Craig Jones.
The hope is now that they can also get Chris Tucker on board to make the movie, I can’t really see him turning it down right now, due to his IRS debt and the lack of any other offers Tucker has lost the box office status he once had back in the 90’s. One problem though the new religion he follows may stop him from performing the same role as he did in the original movie but, they could bring Smokey back as a reformed character.
Next up this week it’s not really news, more of something which just made me laugh. Courtney Love, heard of her? Yeah that’s right the one who was married to Kurt Cobain from Nirvana. Courtney now front’s a band named “Hole” I’m not so sure that’s a great name for a band with a female lead singer and I for one can’t say I have ever even heard of them let alone know any of their music.
Hole were performing in Sao Paulo, Brazil when a fan held up a picture of her late husband, the move didn't really impress Courtney to much and she stormed off stage but not before giving the fan a piece of her mind. Courtney was tempted back to the stage after no more than a minute but demanded that the fans chanted that the Foo Fighters are Gay, there not of course but what they are is a whole lot better and more successful than her band.
Great news for fans of Dexter this week, cable network Showtime have finally managed to close a deal with Michael C. Hall and have renewed their front running show for two more seasons, which will take the show into it’s eighth season. Both seasons will consist of 12 episodes each with season 7 scheduled to start production next year in Los Angeles. Last week’s re-appearance of Brian Moser, The Ice Truck Killer sent audience ratings through the roof and they were the highest they have been since the season 6 premiere. Michael C. Hall will co produce the show as he does now.
Not a good week for movies I’m afraid, unless you’re a young teenage girl with a fixation on Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, vampires or wolves then this weeks all going to be a bit of a bore at the cinema, in fact I have never heard of the other releases coming out this week, how about you?
So first up this week as you’ve probably guessed is The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, leading me to believe that there will be a part 2, and maybe even 3 and so on.
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner
I haven’t seen any of these movies so I promise you I’ll keep this brief, if I get this wrong make sure you put me right. Robert Pattinson and his girlfriend are expecting a baby, they have some people “wolfs” and “vampires” after them as there child poses some sort of risk to the wolf and vampire coven. Did I get that right?
Anyway to conclude, I ain’t seen any of them and I certainly don’t intend on seeing this one. I would rather watch Arthur Christmas to be honest.
Ok I told a little white lie above, saying I hadn’t heard of any of the other releases. Justice comes out this week, only thing is I just heard of it this week so presumed it would be out in a few weeks.
Starring: Nicholas Cage, January Jones, Guy Pearce and Jennifer Carpenter
Cage plays Will Gerard a mild man who's wife Laura (January Jones) gets assaulted, Will’s not to happy about that so decides to enlist the help of a vigilante group lead by Simon (Guy Pearce) to help get his own back on his wife’s tormentors. So it’s pretty much a revenge movie.
Well it’s got Nic Cage in so there’s my first reason not to watch this movie, then there is Guy Pearce, no problem with him really just like him better in the Director chair. One reason to watch this could be Jennifer Carpenter from Dexter, other than that I’m pretty sure we have all seen this movie (type) done before.
Out of everything that comes out this week Snowtown seems to be your best bet and I’m saying that before I’ve even seen the trailer, don’t worry if you hadn’t heard of it, I hadn’t either until it came to writing this.
Starring: Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshal and Louise Harris
A movie based on the real life Snowtown murders which occurred in South Australia between 1992 and 1999, there were 8 victims of serial killer John Bunting (Daniel Henshal) and this movie tells the story of Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) a 16 year old boy living in a housing trust home in Adelaide with his mother, brother and sister. The family become close, Jamie especially to a charismatic man named John. Before long Jamie begins to mimic the behaviour of his new father figure John Bunting.
Probably similar in style to Zodiac this movie definitely seems like it will be the most intriguing and thought provoking of the week, warning if you squeamish though, it involves scenes of torture and animal dismemberment.
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