(Twilight Cast L-R: Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Nikki Reed, and Jackson Rathbone.)
Not since Harry Potter has there been a frantic frenzy over a film adaptation of a book series. Though Twilight is getting hailed as the new Potter and it's author, Stehpenie Meyer, the new J.K. Rowling, one can't compare either: it's peaches and plums, really.
To amp up the film's Nov. 21 release, the cast is going on a tour across the Hot Topic shops of America starting tomorrow, Nov. 10 at San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria -- which is conveniently RIGHT NEXT TO MY SCHOOL. O_o
But first things first. In order to get into the signings, rules apply:
* For either "Edward" (Robert Pattinson) or "Bella" (Kristen Stewart) signings, you must be one of the first 500 to purchase the $30 Twilight Tour tee in person the day of the signing to get in.
* For the "Jacob" (Taylor Lautner), "Laurent" (Edi Gathegi), and "Victoria" (Rachelle Lefevre) signings, you must be one of the first 750 to purchase the Twilight Tour tee in person the day of the signing to get in.
$30?! Just to meet Robert Pattinson??? Okay, looks like I'm not going. =P
Anywho, here's the string of dates for each signing:
Robert Pattinson:
Nov. 10 - San Francisco @ Stonestown Galleria Nov. 11 - Dallas @ Dallas Galleria Nov. 12 - Chicago @ Orland Square Mall Nov. 13 - Philadelphia @ Plaza at Kings of Prussia Nov. 14 - Boston @ Square One Mall
Kristen Stewart:
Nov. 13 - Fairfax, VA @ Fair Oaks Mall Nov. 14 - Paramus, NJ @ Garden State Plaza
Taylor Lautner/Edi Gathegi/Rachelle Lefevre: Nov. 10 - Seattle @ Southcenter Mall Nov. 11 - Denver @ Park Meadows Mall Nov. 12 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Fashion Square Mall Nov. 13 - Houston (location TBA) Nov. 14 - Minneapolis @ Mall of America Nov. 15 - Miami @ Shops at Sunset
More rules and information about the tour are here. And just 'cause I'm feeling generous, I'm gonna stick a clip from the film in this entry. You're welcome. n_n
(Clip courtesy of the Official Twilight Film's YouTube page)
Typically when a big blockbuster sequel comes out (in this case Batman : The Dark Knight) there usually is a re-release that sparks its fuses (again in this case, the must-have Batman Begins- Limited Edition Gift Set which includes a whole utility belt's fill of goodies). However rather than building up hype with rehashed content, the brains behind Batman have gone the extra mile to produce a series of all-new material with an anime twist!
Straight from the Batcave comes Batman: The Gotham Knight, out tomorrow on DVD, 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD, Blu-Ray and On Demand! In the same vein of the release of the Animatrix preceding the theatre released Matrix Reloaded, Batman: The Gotham Knight contains a series of all-new chapters in Batman lore by some of the heavy hitters in comics, screenwriting, and Japanese animation!
That should definitely get your Bat-signal lit 'til July 18, when Batman : The Dark Knight comes out of the shadows!
The one thing I regret about last year's Comic Con was not attending the press panel for the new Pixar/Disney flick Wall-E, written and directed by Andrew Stanton -- the mastermind behind Finding Nemo.
Wall-E doesn't hit theaters until the 27th, but I've been anticipating it's release since I saw teasers for it a little after Con. I mean, hello. It's about a cute little curious robot that's destined to save the world (or something like that).
Oh yes, and with these kind of movies you know there's going to be TOYS!!! I've already looked into it. Y'know, for my own interest and your's, dear reader. O_o
For those that aren't in the know, (hey, that's what we're here for!), the 60s cult classic Japanese cartoon Speed Racer has been adapted to a live action flick starring Emile Hirsch, Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, and Susan Sarandon. Watch for it to hit the big screen on May 9.
With an expected blockbuster, you can certainly bet that there will be toys to go along with it! Mattel has given Barbie and Ken a Trixie and Speed make-over. These guys will be up for grabs sometime in March, but are available for pre-order on Barbie's website and Toys R Us.
Check out the movie's official site to see trailers, videos of press junkets, photos, catch up on any news, download a podcast, and see who else is involved in bringing the world of Speed to life.
The colorful plastic world of Lego have released a line inspired by the classic Indiana Jones films. Now you can make your own adventures with Indy in four different sets (ranging in prices from $9.99-$59.99 -- or $114.99 for everything).
I purchased the Motorcycle Chase set because it was in my price range and it comes with not just Indiana Jones and some random German(?) dude, but a tiny Sean Connery as well (ok, Indy's dad, Pro. Henry Jones. Whatever)!
Smallville's Kristin Kreuk to be lightning legged Chun Li in the newest Street Fighter movie in oh-nine. This should be the peak of all your female video game character fantasies come true.
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Speed, Romeo Must Die, Thirteen Days), this Street Fighter story surrounds Chun Li and her "quest for justice".
Now, we're all left to wonder which outfit they'll put Kristin in.
After ComicCon on Thursday night July 26, hundreds of fans and I caught a special advance screening of the upcoming action filmShoot 'Em Up. Michael Davis and Clive Owen were on hand to answer questions and give some insight about the film just before the showing.
Action fans will definitely eat up the kinetic film with a constant stream of frenzied shoot-outs with a unique plot going above the synopsis of average action flicks: Clive Owen (star of Sin City and BMW Films: The Hire) stars as a carrot-wielding loner known only as Mr. Smith who gets caught protecting a newborn baby from a cynical hit man Mr. Hertz (the always great Paul Giamattiof Sideways). To take care of the baby, Mr. Smith enlists the help of DQ (the Matrix Reloaded's Monica Bellucci) a prostitute catering to a lactating fetish. The newly-formed, unlikely family must find out why the baby is being chased while constantly running from Mr. Hertz and his endless supply of gunmen.
Beneath the surface is a convoluted and unique story with engaging characters and witty dialog, yet it definitely takes backseat due to the high quality of the action. In fact, writer and director Michael Davis presented the concept to studios and faced constant rejection because of the seemingly shallow plot's face value. But it wasn't until he put together a 17 minute animated reel of key action scenes that the movie was green lit.
Predictability has been the bane of most films of the genre in recent years, but because of the immense creativity of the action scenes, Shoot 'Em Up delivers what most gun-crazy action movie fans have been craving for. In the tradition of the all out gun play of classic John Woo films like Hard Boiled and following in the adrenaline stylized footsteps of films such as Crank and Smokin' Aces, Shoot 'Em Up also adds some of the most unexpected shoot-outs with a consistent flow of fast-paced editing throughout.
The violence, sex, and humor all take extra steps, or rather, GIANT LEAPS to levels that you probably wouldn't expect. Some moments often taken too far to the point of ridiculousness but they're done so extremely well that all disregards of realism are forgiven and appreciated for providing satisfying entertainment value.
*SLIGHT SPOILERS* Without giving too much away but there seems to always be some off-kilter quirk to every situation in the movie. For example the gun fights have some sort of gimmick to add to the fun: a shoot-out during a baby delivery, a shoot-out during a car chase, a sniper shoot-out in a playground, a shoot-out during sex, a shoot-out while skydiving, and a Home Alone-inspired booby trap-filled shoot-out in a gun factory.. just to name A FEW. *SPOILERS END HERE* To top it off the plentiful shoot-outs all end with climactic sight gags sure make its target audience satisfied with a laugh or awe of the absurdity. Each time, I had to pick up my jaw from the bottom of my seat as I contemplated how much each the scene ROCKED.
For the most part the stellar cast is top notch in this type of film. Clive Owen is perfectly cast as the typical suave bad ass and unlikely hero. As Mr. Smith, Owen comes off as a natural whether it comes to spitting one-liners while unfazed at the face of adversary, snapping witty remarks throughout, or shooting, flipping, and sliding acrobatically during the action scenes. If it will teach a lesson to those that need lessons taught, this character will draw every line to accomplish it. You'll love Mr. Smith if you hate to see drivers that don't signal or parents that beat their kids in public. He reacts to things in ways everyone has wanted to but had the sense to not do them!
Monica Bellucci's portrayal of DQ is excellent in bringing warmth to the character. Peppered by her exotic Italian looks and accent, the chemistry between her and the British accented Owen is exciting and convincing. With DQ you genuinely care about what happens to the character because of the humanity she shows trying to take care of the newborn Oliver and trying to care for the even Mr. Smith herself.
With such strong protagonists you would need an conversely evil adversary and thats where Paul Giamatti steals the show. His character, Mr. Hertz, provides most of the dark humor and is such an evil bastard you'll actually grow to love him due to Giamatti's excellent portrayal. As he matches wits with Mr. Smith, Mr. Hertz in turn matches gun prowess whether he wields a sniper rifle or his signature Desert Eagle with a custom fingerprint identifier, all while being annoyed constantly from the cell phone calls of his wife. The cynical yet humanized villain is immensely fun to watch much in the vein of great cinematic bad guys like Gary Oldman's portrayal of the crazed cop Stansfeld in Leon: The Professional.
Strange to say but the real star of the movie is the vision-enhancing orange vegetable, the carrot! Never in a film have carrots been so important, so hilarious, or so awesome! When Mr. Smith takes bites off of a carrot in a calm after the storm the stock of adrenaline that viewers have gained will inspire them to stock up on carotene. In fact, after the premiere the audience was treated to fresh carrots! Lets just say after this movie you'll never guess how bad ass eating carrots can be.
Along with the plentiful homages to Hong Kong cinema greats like John Woo and spaghetti westerns, there are many allusions to Clive Owen's trademark of driving Beemers in films, such as his stints in BMW Films as well as a hitman in Bourne Identity. There even is a nod to Owen's potential as a previous successor to Pierce Brosnan's James Bond that fans will definitely eat up as this film comes as perfect example of what he would've been like as the next Bond.
After watching this movie with fellow action aficionados it was unanimous that our socks had been knocked off. Also worth mentioning was the very vocal and energetic Comic Con audience laughing, cheering, and giving ovation to every awesome scene (and were scenes of awesomeness plentiful!).
As far as for who the film is for, just watch the trailer. Its definitely a movie that gives so much fan service to action film fans that anyone out of that circle can instantly dismiss the film as typical action fare or even as a 'bad movie'. Not so when you put into account how clever and how deep both action, style, and plot go with Shoot 'Em Up. However its very rare that a film had the whole audience's blood pumping NONSTOP throughout. Not to say that the film is perfect, but as an action film you'll definitely come out satisfied. Even during the pauses, the direction, art direction, and cinematography is so sharp and stylized that it keeps the intrigue going. Each metal and electronica song in the soundtrack paint and frame the action perfectly. I don't think I've seen better use of Motorhead's Ace of Spades or Motley Crue's Kickstart My Heart in a film. Some films "cut to the chase" but the whole entire film is THE chase.
Movies are supposed to entertain and Shoot 'Em Up goes above and beyond to meet that expectation. I applaud Michael Davis in both having the immense passion for his story and the efforts he put into directing such a sharp, exciting movie. Each and every scene will had me sitting in my chair in disbelief wondering why the heck I haven't been this much entertained. I can't say I've had this much DAMN FUN watching a movie in a long time! As I told my friend that I was going to post a review here, he told me I should write this article as a one word review: AWESOME. There's no better way to put it!
So stock up on your carrots and mark your calendars on September 7th!
Richard Kelly, director of the cult hit Donnie Darko, will be making an appearance at Comic Con to make a special announcement of his highly anticipated film Southland Tales -- which is based upon the three-part graphic novel he wrote about a futuristic LA set on July 4, 2008. The ensemble cast includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Sean William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Cheri Oteri, Jon Lovitz, Miranda Richardson, and Silent Bob himself: Kevin Smith.
After his announcement, Kelly will be signing posters from the film. Comic Con is known for surprises, so who knows if someone else might show up? ;)
Here's some more info to check out the event:
- Friday, July 27 - 11:00 to 1:00 pm - Location AA12
After getting your badges, you gotta check out the exhibit hall. and when you're done mapping out your four days at Comic Con, head over to the SkinWalkers Booth and step into their cage and come face-to-face with a skinwalker!
Oh hull, naw. if a skinwalker looks like the brawd above with some snaggle-tooth-filled grill with them funky mystery white drips, I pass. Ya'lls let me know how all that crazy cage shizz goes.
but if you're a scardy-kat like me, try building up the courage, avoid the cage section at all cost, and pick up a Limited Edition Skinwalker Poster at the booth -- only 1300 have been printed!
The Skinwalkers movie will be in theatres on August 10th. On Saturday, get your Skinwalkers poster signed by the producer and special effects artist Stan Winston, and the stars in the movie: Jason Behr, Natassia Malthe, and Shawn Roberts in the bewtween 11 am - 1pm at the autograph area.
Last Friday, carmeL and I had a chance to go see the new Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix - which hit US theaters on July 11th. Since I hadn't read the book and carmeL had, we decided to do a joint review of our IMAX 3D movie experience.
Dumbledore's Army
We arrived about an hour early (carmeL insisted so we could get decent seats.) Being in San Francisco, it was with [good] fortune that we end up in line in front of a homeless(?) guy. I can't say for sure if he was homeless, but he certainly smelled like one... or ten. Maybe even twenty. To make matters worse, the previous showing experienced some technical difficulties so we nearly lost our lunch waiting in line for over an hour in front of this guy. He eventually got kicked out of the theater and our IMAX 3D experience ended up being 3D for only the last 20 minutes of the movie. Guess they weren't able to work out all the kinks from the previous showing, but at least it was still in IMAX.
Fighting off the baddies
Anyway, I thought the movie was great! It was neat to see the actors grow so much since the previous four films, not just physically but in their acting prowess as well. I enjoyed the dark overtones of the story; plots are so much more enjoyable when you see characters overcome a struggle. The action sequences were great too, especially when the 3D was working. I don't want to give away too much because you guys should see it for yourself. It'll be a good $10 well spent, $15 if you see it in IMAX.
The Ministry of Magic
Now for carmeL's review...
I have to agree with rye-uhn-air-ick for the most part. I know that turning a 870pg novel into a 2h18m movie was no easy task for the screenwriters and director, David Yates. However, I feel that they kept the gist of the story to keep the movies in sync with the novels' storyline. I'm in the process of re-reading all six books in anticipation of the 7th's release, so it's been awhile since I've read Order of the Phoenix. The only complaint I have of the movie is that some parts felt choppy, like something was missing, but I think that's because I knew what had been left out. At least, rye-uhn-air-ick didn't seem to think so as much as me.
Giving lessons in self-defense [against the Dark Arts]
As a HUGE fan of the Harry Potter series, I am very excited with how the film turned out and it's made me even more excited about the coming release of the 7th, and final, book in the series - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I encourage fans of the book and/or movies to go out and watch it. The extra money for the IMAX 3D experience is well worth it, even if the 3D effects aren't working. And if our review isn't enough to entice you to watch, then maybe this movie trailer will be:
The Crazy 4 Cult art show will begin this Tuesday July 17th at Gallery 1988 Los Angeles where over 50 different artists will be presenting over 100 art pieces inspired by classic cult films! Some of the artists include Shepard Fairey , Greg "Craola" Simkins, Joe Ledbetter, Kathie Olivas, Kurt Halsey Frederiksen, Plasticgod, Luke Chueh, Matt Dangler, Christopher Lee, Roland Tamayo, and many, many more!
Who better to host an opening reception for an cult classic-inspired art show than Silent Bob himself, cult film director extraordinaire Kevin Smith?! He will be joined by Scott Mosier (producer and film editor for most of Smith's films) along with many cult classic film personalities and Hollywood guests including Donnie Darko's Richard Kelly and Shaun of the Dead's Edgar Wright for the opening of the show. Here is a video of Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier speaking with Leo Quinones on the Film Freak Show on 97.1 Free FM talking about Crazy 4 Cult:
Here's a small preview of the kind of works to expect from the show: Jeff Mcmillan unleashes a cavalry of cult film characters on canvas
A great poster by Christopher Lee is going to be available at the show! Check here to see Gallery 1988's ongoing contest where you could win the poster signed by the artist and maybe even some of the individuals represented in the poster plus artist proofs of prints by Greg "Craola" Simkins and Matt Dangler!
Artist Reuben Rude has created limited run of 25 CRAZY 4 CULT commemorative Big Lebowski/The Dude Circus Punks, available first for those who attend the opening!
According to the Gallery 1988 blog, G1988 will be opening a new website at Crazy4Cult.com in July 20 offering a new place to order prints and new releases from the show.
Keep your eyes open and your ears peeled for upcoming coverage on this very awesome gallery!
Here are a few links via highsnobiety of the upcoming Simpsons x Vans collabo...
Stash with what looks like a Sk8-Mid/Low?! The toe box doesn't look like an Era or Authentic.
Kaws comes through with his rendition of Simpsons characters once again on a Chukka that resembles school notebook paper. Fresh.
One of my favorites, NECKFACE brings a black Chukka with his stylings of Lisa.
As of right now, I'm feeling the NECKFACE Chukka and this here Mr. Cartoon slip-on. I already have enough black shoes, but I'm gonna definitely have to make room for one of these.
With 7-11s quickly turning into Kwik-E-Marts to promote the upcoming release of The Simpsons Movie, Vans is collaborating with 12 different artists to create Simpsons themed shoes. The line up of artists is serious. I'm personally looking forward to see how Futura, Stash, Mr. Cartoon, Kaws, Taka, and that NECKFACE mash up with The Simpsons characters. Releasing July 14th in limited supply.
(top to bottom: Jack Sparrow Ring, Davey Jones Ring, Pirates of the Carribean Skull Ring, East India Trading Company Ring, Pintel Ring. Above rings by Joel Harlow for Disney Couture.)
With the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series hitting theatres this Thursday, it's time to prep your pirate gear. Leave your parrot at home and make a sophisticated splash with fellow swashbuck fans and check out the Disney Couture Jewelry Line inspired by the famous ride and blockbuster.
Make a Coordinating Sword Set: Ring, Necklace that can convert to a pin, Double Sword Necklace, Wrap Bracelet, and Earrings. All Gold Plated with Swarovski Crystals. Have your eyes on the prize? These 18K gold plated Skull Necklaces with Swarovski Crystal Eyes are perfect for you! Bling ain't your thing? Try these 18K gold plated Necklaces: Single Skull Pendant and Wrap-around Long Skull Silhouette Necklace. Nautical by Nature? Make sure you have the Black Pearl Ship Helm, Black Pearl Ship, and Capt. Jack Sparrow's Hat on your next voyage! Not diggin' the Gold? Plenty of Silver (plated) to go around: Pistol Necklace, Davey Jones' Key, Pirates of Carribean Skull with Swarvoski Crystals, Charm Bracelet, Sword Necklace with Swarvoski Crystals.
In anticipation of the upcoming release of the new Transformers movie, I was scouring the net for info surrounding the new feature-length film and came across some stuff you may or may not have seen. But first things first...
I grew up in a household in which Optimus, Megatron, and Starscream were household names and I'm tremendously dissapointed in the amount of change in the movie, but I suppose that with progression comes change - change that isn't necessarily for the better. Optimus looks like crap. Bumble Bee is a Camaro?! And what the hell is Megatron? Isn't he supposed to be a gun?
I do have to say that some of the character designs are quite neat though. I love what they did with Jazz and Ratchet. Those two look pretty darn good.
I saw these Nike Free 7.0's on niketalk.com a little while back, but there wasn't much info on them at the time. So I decide to look them up on Google earlier today to see what's going on with them and I found a website selling the pair for $58...but they were sold out...and it was just a pre-order! Crazy! I'm going to have to do some hunting for those.
Pictures of these Nike Air Trainer III's surfaced a while back also and I have to say that I kinda like 'em. I don't need them, but if I saw them at a decent price, I just might have to buy them solely on their tie to Transformers.
For those that aren't in the know, 
Last Friday, 
