Universal Pictures recently released stills for the upcoming film "Rush". The film is the latest from two-time Academy Award® winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon)and stars Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers, Thor), Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds, The Bourne Ultimatum), Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy) and Alexandra Maria Lara (The Reader). "Rush" opens in NY and LA on 9/20 and theaters nationwide on 9/27.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: www.rushmovie.com.

Plot Synopsis:

Two-time Academy Award® winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon) teams once again with two-time Academy Award®-nominated writer Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen) on Rush, a spectacular big-screen re-creation of the merciless and legendary 1970s Formula 1 rivalry between gifted English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth of The Avengers, Thor) and his disciplined Austrian opponent, Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl of Inglourious Basterds, The Bourne Ultimatum). Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of racing, Rush portrays the exhilarating true story of the charismatic Hunt and the methodically brilliant Lauda, two of the greatest rivals the world of sports has ever witnessed. Taking us into their personal lives and clashes on and off the Grand Prix racetrack, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy) and Alexandra Maria Lara (The Reader) co-star in the epic action-drama as, respectively, Suzy Miller and Marlene Lauda, the loves of James and Niki’s lives who watched and feared as the men rocketed toward possible death. Rush is produced by Andrew Eaton (A Mighty Heart, The Killer Inside Me), Eric Fellner (Les Misérables, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Brian Oliver (Black Swan, The Ides of March), Morgan, Oscar® winner Brian Grazer (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) and Howard. The film was co-financed by Cross Creek Pictures and Exclusive Media, and produced in association with Revolution Films and Imagine Entertainment. Executive producers for the film are Guy East (The Woman in Black, The Ides of March), Nigel Sinclair (The Ides of March, End of Watch), Tobin Armbrust (End of Watch, The Woman in Black), Tim Bevan (Les Misérables, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Tyler Thompson (Black Swan, The Woman in Black) and Todd Hallowell (Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon). Universal Pictures distributes the film in the United States. Rush was filmed on location in the U.K., Germany and Austria.

The organizers at Fantasic Fest send us information that Film District's "Red Dawn" will be the closing film of the festival. The film will also be making its world premiere at the festival. "Red Dawn" stars CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Thor, The Avengers, Snow White & The Huntsman), JOSH PECK (Drake & Josh, The Wackness), JOSH HUTCHERSON (The Hunger Games), ADRIANNE PALICKI (Friday Night Lights, upcoming GI Joe: Retaliation), ISABEL LUCAS (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Immortals), CONNOR CRUISE (Seven Pounds) and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Watchmen).

If you can't make it to the festival, "Red Dawn" will be hitting theaters on November 21st.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: www.RedDawnFilm.com

Press Release:

The Wolverines are infiltrating Fantastic Fest to defend all that is good and American! The world premiere of FilmDistrict's RED DAWN will close Fantastic Fest, on Thursday, September 27, with stars Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki in attendance. A Korean-invasion-themed party will follow the premiere screening to celebrate the closing night of the festival. Fantastic Fest will take place September 20-27 in Austin, Texas at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.

RED DAWN stars CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Thor, The Avengers, Snow White & The Huntsman), JOSH PECK (Drake & Josh, The Wackness), JOSH HUTCHERSON (The Hunger Games), ADRIANNE PALICKI (Friday Night Lights, upcoming GI Joe: Retaliation), ISABEL LUCAS (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Immortals), CONNOR CRUISE (Seven Pounds) and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Watchmen).

In RED DAWN, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping fromthe sky - shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and withoutwarning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fightback, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselvesinto a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves theWolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back theirfreedom. FilmDistrict will release RED DAWN in theaters nationwide on November 21, 2012, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Following the World Premiere, Fantastic Fest will transform the Austin American Legion into a maximum-security prison for the ultimate Red Dawn shindig. Prisoners will experience mandatory enjoyment from delousing stations as well as free prison tattoos and head-shaves. Executive chef John Bullington will be doling out wild-game bulgogi, kimchi and piping-hot shots of deer blood while the uniformed detainees enjoy the musical stylings of festival favorite Future Folk.

For more information about RED DAWN, please visit RedDawnFilm.com, "like" the film on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/RedDawnFilm follow on twitter www.Twitter.com/RedDawnFilm , #RedDawn.

"The Cabin in the Woods" hits theaters today and this is definitly one film that horror fans should check out. Lionsgate has send us over premiere photo with the cast of the film from the LA premiere, which happened earlier in the week. Special Thanks to Eric Charbonneau for providing the photos.

Plot Synopsis:

Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen.

If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, a mind blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out.

Produced by Whedon and directed by Goddard from a script by both, the film stars Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.

Tribeca Film Festival announced today that Joss Whedon's upcoming film "The Avengers" will be the closing film of the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, which takes places on April 28th. The film is one of the most anticipated films of the upcoming summer movie season. "The Avengers features an all star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. In conjunction with this announcement, Marvel Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures has released a still of the film.


Press Release:

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by American Express, announced today that Marvel’s The Avengers, presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures, will close its 11th edition on Saturday, April 28. Closing night will take place at Tribeca BMCC PAC and is sponsored by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin.

Honoring the spirit of the Tribeca Film Festival, the screening will allow the opportunity for Marvel’s The Avengers to celebrate everyday heroes from police agencies, fire departments, first responders and various branches of the U.S. military. These local heroes will have an opportunity to attend the screening and meet the cast.

Marvel Studios’ producer Kevin Feige says, "We are proud that Marvel's The Avengers is the closing film of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and we are excited to welcome local heroes to the screening as special guests. We all know and love our iconic Super Heroes, but when it really counts, it's our real-life heroes who save the world every day by making it a better place for all of us."

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers is an engaging, character-driven story packed with action, adventure and special effects. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins to assemble the iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. Marvel’s The Avengers is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

“Marvel’s The Avengers is an exciting ride that absolutely transports audiences,” said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. “It is the perfect way to end our 11th Festival.”

Comments director Joss Whedon, “Showing at Tribeca is both an honor and a double homecoming for me, who grew up in Manhattan, and for the movie, which wrapped production there. I’m thoroughly psyched to be closing the festival with our intimate little think-piece.”

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is produced by Marvel Studios’ Producer Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher, Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The story is by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon, and the screenplay is by Joss Whedon. The film releases May 4, 2012, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 18-29, 2012.

Visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival for more information about TFF’s 2012 programs and the full line-up of films.

One of the most anticipated film of this year's SXSW Film Festival is the world premiere of the Joss Whedon produced film "The Cabin in the Woods". Lionsgate has recently released two official trailers and the film's official poster. The film marks the directorial debut of Drew Goddard, who wrote the screenplay to the 2008 hit "Cloverfield" and stars Chris Hemsworth(Thor), Richard Jenkins (Let Me In), Bradley Whitford(The West Wing). The film will be having its world premiere, as the opening film of the 2012 SXSW film festival on March 9th. If you can't make it to the premiere, Lionsgate has set the film with an April 13th release date.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://www.discoverthecabininthewoods.com

Plot Synopsis:

Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen.

If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, a mind blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out.

Produced by Whedon and directed by Goddard from a script by both, the film stars Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.

Lionsgate presents a Mutant Enemy production.

Upcoming Screenings:

Friday, March 9: 7:00PM
Paramount Theatre
Austin, Texas

"The Cabin in the Woods": Official Trailer

"The Cabin in the Woods": Official Trailer #2

In the last post, I mentioned Lionsgate's their upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D film. Now here's their other most anticipated horror film, Joss Whedon's upcoming co written and produced horror film "Cabin in the Woods". The film is also the directorial debut from "Cloverfield" writer Drew Goddard and stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor, Let Me In), and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing). "Cabin in the Woods is set to hit theaters on April 13th, 2012.

Press Release:

LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, acquired worldwide distribution rights to the horror film THE CABIN IN THE WOODS from MGM and scheduled the film to be released on April 13, 2012, it was announced today jointly by Joe Drake, President of the Motion Picture Group, and Jason Constantine, President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions.  The company will be distributing the film in North America and the UK, with Lionsgate’s international sales team handling overseas sales.

The film was co-written by Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FIREFLY, the upcoming Marvel film THE AVENGERS) and writer Drew Goddard (CLOVERFIELD, LOST, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), and marks Goddard’s directorial debut.  Whedon also produced the film, which he has described as “the horror movie to end all horror movies.” The film is wildly imaginative and intensely horrific, toying with every convention of its genre while at the same time raising their stakes exponentially.  

THOR’s Chris Hemsworth stars as a young professional who visits a quaint cabin in the woods with a group of friends and ends up scratching the surface of something so massive and horrific that they can only begin to fathom it as time quickly runs out.       

Richard Jenkins (LET ME IN), Bradley Whitford (THE WEST WING), Kristen Connolly (THE HAPPENING), Brian J. White (STOMP THE YARD), Amy Acker (ANGEL), Fran Kranz (DONNIE DARKO), and Jesse Williams (BROOKLYN’S FINEST) also star in the film. 

“This is a movie that operates on many levels, and it works gloriously on every one of them,” said Joe Drake. “There is intense fan anticipation for this film, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver what we’re sure will be a major zeitgeist movie and an instant horror classic- and on a Friday the 13th no less.”
Added Constantine, “Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard are two filmmakers who I have long admired, and it’s an honor and a delight to be in business with them.  They’ve made an incredibly terrifying, mind-blowing movie that simultaneously celebrates and innovates the genre that they both know and love so well.”

Said Goddard, "Lionsgate's passion and enthusiasm for our movie has been so overwhelming, I had to go back and make sure we didn't accidentally screen The Godfather for them.   Fortunately, we did not.  We couldn't be happier at our new home."

Added Whedon, "I'm thrilled that Cabin has landed at Lionsgate because they get and love the film and I'm excited to be working with them on the release."
Negotiations on behalf of Lionsgate were overseen by Constantine along with Lionsgate’s SVP of Acquisitions Eda Kowan and EVP of Business & Legal Affairs Wendy Jaffe.

It what already looks like a very crowded September for DVD and Blu-Ray releases, Paramount Pictures announced today, "Thor" will be making it way to Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray and DVD, and in a 2-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo with Over 80 Minutes of Revealing Content, Including an Exclusive Look at Marvel's The Avenger. "Thor" makes it way to shelves on September 13th.

Press Release:

Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes a unique and compelling twist on the Super Hero genre with the out-of-this-world warrior THOR, debuting on high definition Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD September 13, 2011. Called "spectacular" (USA Today), "thrilling, entertaining and cool" (Ain't It Cool News) the phenomenal screen debut of the legendary God of Thunder took audiences by storm, earning more than $440 million at the global box office. When the arrogant god is banished to Earth from his home world, Asgard, and then pursued by the darkest forces of Asgard, he must learn what it takes to become a true hero in this exhilarating story that "delivers epic fireworks" (Rolling Stone). Featuring an all-star cast including Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, stunning visual effects and explosive action sequences, THOR wields outstanding entertainment that the whole family can enjoy.

The THOR three-disc set includes the film on Blu-ray in high-definition 3D and on high definition 2D, as well as on standard definition DVD with a digital copy. The two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes a high definition presentation of the film, plus a standard definition presentation with a digital copy. Both sets come fully loaded with 80 minutes of immersive bonus materials including an exclusive special feature that goes deeper into the Marvel Universe, a sneak peek into Marvel's The Avengers, an unprecedented look inside the world of director Kenneth Branagh and much more.

THOR Blu-ray and DVD specs

The THOR Blu-ray Discs™ are presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The digital copy is presented with an English Audio track. THOR will also be available as a single-disc DVD.

Another Marvel Comics hero finally breaks his way out of the Hollywood prison known as development hell! Getting us increasingly more pumped up for the long promised “Avengers” movie, “Thor” makes its presence known with thunderous abandon. Now like many comic books, “Thor” is yet another I haven’t read, so I can’t say how true it is to its origins. However, judging from the great Kenneth Branagh’s handling of the material, I imagine it’s very respectful and true to its source.

Heeding closely to classic Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder and heir to the throne of Asgard. But on the day of his ascension, the Frost Giants end up invading the planet’s deeper regions to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters, their source of power. They are easily defeated, but their violation of the truce put together between them and Asgard seriously pisses off Thor. Against his father’s wishes, he and his fellow warriors journey to the Frost Giants home planet of Jotunheim to keep some frosty ass. Odin however intervenes, and infuriated with his son’s arrogance, strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth. For a warrior such as him, this does feels like a nasty insult.

First off, I got to say that I really liked the way Branagh handled this material. In the wrong way, this could have easily become high camp which would have been highly enjoyable for all the wrong reasons. But he takes all the characters and places they inhabit seriously, and infuses all of them with a strong humanity that defines them more than their place in the universe. Even the villains are remarkably complex as their corruption results not so much from a need for power but for a father’s love and approval. Of course, with Branagh directing, you can count on many Shakespearean references throughout (Iago from “Othello” and “King Lear” come to mind), and they are a perfect fit for this story.

I was also very impressed with how well Branagh handled the visual elements of “Thor.” The last time he made a movie heavy with special effects was “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein,” but he seemed a bit out of his league there. Perhaps we should not be impressed as this movie of course has a budget that’s at least $100 million (not counting advertisement costs), but they key thing here is that effects succeed in being an extension of the characters instead of just dwarfing them completely. Then again, that giant creature the Frost Giants unleash on Thor immediately had Liam Neeson screaming in my head:

“RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!”

As Thor, Chris Hemsworth (who played Captain Kirk’s father in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”) owns the role right from the moment he walks onscreen. He clearly revels in portraying the great power he possesses, and he is a gentleman when the situation calls for it. Seeing him as a fish out of water on Earth also makes for some splendid moments which are slyly comic. I’m also glad that Thor is not just another character who doesn’t want to be “the one,” conflicted about the things he is destined to do. With Chris, you know from the get go that he is fully aware he’s “the one” and owns that knowledge to where you feel his impatient eagerness to prove it to the universe. Instead of Anakin Skywalker as a whiny teenager, Chris gives us a powerful warrior worth cheering for and who learns from his mistakes.

As scientist Jane Foster, Natalie Portman’s casting in the role seems like such a no brainer. We know from her off screen life that she is a remarkably intelligent human being, so she doesn’t have to prove to us that she can be believable as a scientist. She sparks instant chemistry with Hemsworth (damn those six pack abs!!!), and that shy smile of hers kills me every single time. Right now, she appears to be overexposed since her deserved Oscar win for “’Black Swan,” but I’m not complaining about that in the slightest.

Then there’s the great Sir Anthony Hopkins whose portrayal of Asgard’s king and father to Thor, Odin, is in a word gallant. This is especially the case with the opening narration which he recites with such depth that it makes all other actors who’ve done it before him sound like they were sleepwalking their way through it. While many may think that this is one of those roles that Hopkins could do for an easy paycheck, it’s really one of the best performances he’s given in awhile and is a step up from such dreck like “The Rite.”

Tom Hiddleston plays Loki, Thor’s brother and the movie’s other main villain. What I liked about Tom is that he does so much more than give us a one-dimensional character. Much like Joaquin Phoenix’s character from “Gladiator,” Loki feels slighted by his father as he prefers another man over him, and he becomes eager to prove himself in the worst way possible. Hiddleston makes Loki into a character that is more spiteful than hateful, and this makes his eventual fate seem all the more tragic in retrospect.

There are other strong performances throughout this blockbuster affair to enjoy as well. Rene Russo, where have you been? Idris Elba makes a memorable Heimdall, and it never seems like a small part with him playing it. Kat Dennings steals a few scenes as Darcy Lewis, Jane’s co-worker whose science is more political than astronomical. And Stellan Skarsgård remains a dependable actor as always playing scientist Erik Selvig, a character who may play a more important role in the future.

Having said all that, “Thor” felt like it could have been more exciting than it was. It doesn’t quite have the same invigorating sweep as some of Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations like “Hamlet” or “Henry V,” and it does feel like it takes longer to get to the action than it should. It’s not quite as entertaining as “Iron Man,” but I would rank it above “The Incredible Hulk.”

Still, there is much to like about “Thor,” and Branagh has done the best job anyone could have to bring this comic book hero to the big screen in such respectful fashion. It also benefits from excellent casting, especially Chris Hemsworth who looks like he came out of the womb a warrior with a heavy hammer in his hand. This is one of the few times where “getting hammered” will sound more like a threat than an embarrassing state of drunkenness.

Word of advice, be sure to stay through the end credits. I’m sure many of you already planning to do that knowing how the “Iron Man”’ movies and “The Incredible Hulk” ended, but I do feel the need to remind you. Also, don’t’ bother seeing this in 3D. Once again, the image is frustratingly dark and there’s no real need for an extra dimension. Save yourself some money and see it in 2D instead.

2D version: * * * out of * * * *

3D version: * * out of * * * *