Kevin Macdonald Signs On For The Eagle of the Ninth

Helmer Kevin Macdonald will follow "State of Play" by directing the Roman military drama "The Eagle of the Ninth."

Focus Features has signed to distribute with production set to begin in August.

Jamie Bell is set to star in the 2nd century A.D. tale, and Channing Tatum is in talks to join him. Script is by Jeremy Brock, who teamed with Macdonald on "The Last King of Scotland."

The story revolves around a wounded Roman soldier and his loyal Celtic slave who try to solve the mystery of the Ninth Legion, a brigade of Roman soldiers that vanished after heading into the untamed Highlands of Scotland 15 years earlier.

Duncan Kenworthy is producing through his Toledo Prods. banner.

Thoughts:

Not sure what to think, but I'm going to have to see State of Play before I say anything about this flick.

Paramount Moving Ahead With Star Trek II

As Paramount Pictures readies the May 8 release of its "Star Trek" franchise relaunch, the studio is moving forward with a sequel, and has hired Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof to pen the screenplay.

J.J. Abrams, who directed and produced the latest chapter, is onboard to produce the follow-up alongside his Bad Robot partner Bryan Burk. No decision has been made yet on whether Abrams will return behind the camera for the sequel.

Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof also are receiving producing credit on the sequel.

Story is still in the embryonic stage, but the trio are aiming to deliver their script to the Melrose studio by Christmas for what would likely be a summer 2011 release.

"Obviously we discussed ideas, but we are waiting to see how audiences respond next month," he said. "With a franchise rebirth, the first movie has to be about origin. But with a second, you have the opportunity to explore incredibly exciting things. We'll be ambitious about what we'll do."

Thoughts:

I'm glad that their readying another Star Trek film so we don't have to wait too long for another chapter in the series, but we have still yet to see if this remake is even worth it. I'm sure J.J. Abrams will deliver with his version of Star Trek since his previous films haven't been much of a let down, but were still going to have to wait for the reviews and reactions from the audience.

Eastern Promises Getting A Sequel?

In an interview at MTV (which contains a big spoiler if you haven't seen the movie), director David Cronenberg says they are planning on making a sequel to 2007 thriller, Eastern Promises. Here's an excerpt:

"We are moving forward with it," Cronenberg told MTV News in an exclusive chat. "We all are excited about the idea of doing a sequel.

"The "we" includes Mortensen, who was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Nikolai; the film's screenwriter, Steven Knight; original producer Paul Webster; and original studio, Focus Features.

"We are going to have a meeting very soon between me, Steve Knight and Paul Webster to discuss what the script would be," Cronenberg said. "I have some very strong ideas about what I would like to see, but I would like to hear what they have to say as well. And then after that, if all goes well, Steve goes away and writes a great script. If we all like it, we make it."

Thoughts:

Eastern Promises was the first film I reviewed for this blog. I thought the film was fantastic, but its been quite awhile since I last saw it. I should try to make some time to re-visit it. I'm sure a sequel wouldn't be a bad idea seeing as how the story was left with some unanswered questions near the end. Not only that, but director David Cronenberg is helming the sequel. That right their already seals the deal for me watching it if it ever comes to fruition. I think Cronenberg is a brilliant director and if he truly believes he can come up with a sequel to this film than I believe him.

Trailer For Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock

Focus Features has released the trailer for director Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock, coming to theaters on August 14. Written by James Schamus, the drama stars Demetri Martin, Emile Hirsch, Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman, Jonathan Groff, Mamie Gummer, Eugene Levy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Liev Schreiber.

The film is a 1969-set true story about a man, Elliot Tiber (Martin), who inadvertently played a pivotal role in making the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival into the famed happening it was. Mr. Tiber found himself swept up in a generation-defining experience that would change his life, and American culture, forever.

Thoughts:

Been waiting for a trailer for this film for sometime now. It looks pretty good and I'm somewhat eager to see it. I enjoyed most of director Ang Lee's films except for Hulk which I thought was a disappointment. I'm alittle skeptical on how hes going to be able to handle a comedy flick like this, but Ill still see it.

Megan Fox On The New Empire Cover

The new issue of Empire is poised to hit shelves, and it's a doozy. Our cover star is Transformers 2's aptly-named Megan Fox, leading the collection of the hottest upcoming stars in Hollywood today. But that's not all in this month's issue.

We have an exclusive look at Coraline, the ace new stop-motion animation from Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick and genius author Neil Gaiman. We've been hanging out around CERN in Geneva with Angels & Demons, slashing through the bull to bring you the future of the superhero movie with Wolverine, and talking to JJ Abrams about a certain S. Trek movie.

Add in Charlie Kaufman, Sam Raimi, Tron past and present and a feature on William Castle, and you've got a jam-packed issue.

The new Empire goes on sale today.

Thoughts:

I wouldn't normally post news about a new issue of a magazine, but I thought the cover looked pretty hot. Not only that, but the magazine itself seems to pack alot of information about Transformers 2 and other major hits coming later this year.

MGM Gets It's Three Stooges

MGM and the Farrelly brothers are closing in on their cast for "The Three Stooges."

Studio has set Sean Penn to play Larry, and negotiations are underway with Jim Carrey to play Curly, with the actor already making plans to gain 40 pounds to approximate the physical dimensions of Jerome "Curly" Howard.

The studio is zeroing in on Benicio Del Toro to play Moe.

The film is not a biopic, but rather a comedy built around the antics of the three characters that Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Howard played in the Columbia Pictures shorts.

The quest by the Peter and Bobby Farrelly to harness the project spans more than a decade and three studios. They first tried at Columbia, again at Warner Bros., and finally at MGM, where Worldwide Motion Picture Group chairman Mary Parent championed the cause and bought the WB-owned scripts and made a deal with Stooges rights holders C3.

Production will begin in early fall for a release sometime in 2010. The Farrellys, who wrote the script, are producing with their Conundrum partner Bradley Thomas, and Charlie Wessler.

C3 Entertainment principals Earl and Robert Benjamin will be executive producers.

Thoughts:

Wow, what an unusual cast for a film. I was a big fan of the The Three Stooges back in the day. I'm not sure a film based on the Stooges is particularly a good idea, but where going to have to wait and see. This seems like a big risk and a bold ambitious project for actors Penn and Del Toro, not really Carrey since hes use to roles like this.

Trailer For Where The Wild Things Are

Warner Bros. Pictures' Where the Wild Things Are debuted on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" this morning with the films first trailer. Opening in theaters on October 16, the Spike Jonze-directed big screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic book stars Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara and Forest Whitaker.

Thoughts:

I loved it, I simply loved the trailer and thought it looked awesome. I cant believe one of my favorite books when I was a kid is actually becoming a reality and from the looks of it, its looking pretty damn close to the book. I really hope this delivers because its easily one of my most anticipated films of 2009.

Tom Hanks Circles Major Matt Mason Project

Universal will develop "Major Matt Mason," a live-action feature based on the vintage Mattel action figure. Pic will be developed as a star vehicle for Tom Hanks, and Graham Yost will write the script.

Playtone partners Hanks and Gary Goetzman will produce.

The toy line originated in 1966; Mason led an astronaut team that worked on the moon and lived in a space station. The toy was a hit in the buildup to the first manned moon mission. Mattel retired the line in the 1970s.

Mattel execs Tim Kilpin and Barry Waldo will serve as exec producer.

Universal adds the film project to several toy-based movie projects the studio has percolating with Hasbro, with a "Stretch Armstrong" film being written by Steve Oedekerk, "Monopoly" with Ridley Scott, "Candyland" with "Tropic Thunder" scribe Etan Cohen and director Kevin Lima, and the Platinum Dunes-produced "Ouija."

Thoughts:

Sounds somewhat intriguing, but I have never heard of this action figure. I hope people don't see this as another Apollo 13 even though both involved Hanks in space and both were distributed by Universal Pictures. Hopefully we hear more about this film in the near future.

REVIEW: Watchmen

Watchmen

Year: 2009
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Watchmen was easily one of the most anticipated films of this year. When the film first aired its trailers over multiple theaters, people wet their pants. Not only was this famous graphic novel coming to the big screen, but it was being directed by the guy who gave us the epic spartan movie "300". From every new peak the studio released, the movie was beginning to look alot like the novel itself. Now, I thought the trailers for Watchmen were cool. I wasn't so hyped for it simply because I haven't read the novel or knew anything about it. I was alittle nervous that I might not enjoy it as much since I didn't follow the Watchmen universe. On March 6th, the film came out and scored a hefty $55 million on its opening weekend. With almost everyone at work talking about it, I just had to take a look.

Plot Outline:
In a gritty and alternate 1985 the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown, but after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so discover a deeper and far more diabolical plot.

Plot:
Watchmen is based on the comic book series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The film adaption has had a rocky start with directors such as Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass on board the project at one point. Even film studios deemed the adaption too complex to tell. When the project eventually reverted back to Warner Bros. studios, the company brought on "300" director Zack Snyder to bring this popular series to the big screen. I wasn't able to read the graphic novel in time before seeing the film so I cant tell if its 100% faithful to the series. I did however, read some reviews and for the most part, it stays true to the series. The films plot is quite interesting and is really worth mentioning. It combines a film noir-ish style with some hint of mystery. It reminded me of Sin City and how the story/stories were told in that film. Its good, but also demands alot of attention. This ain't your normal superhero movie and everything is definitely geared towards adults. I'm really surprised on how Snyder was able to make this a hard R rating when its definitely close to an NC-17 rating. What didn't work for me in Watchmen was the films pacing. It felt really off and just didn't work well for me. Its like the scenes were split between its narrative and action scenes which we hardly get enough of. The films run-time was also an issue for me. I have said it before and Ill say it again. I don't mind long movies, but as long as the movie stays focused and doesn't bore the audience. For me, Watchmen felt alittle too long. I know Snyder had to trim the movie down, but I think he could have trimmed at least another good 15-20 Min's off. Some parts of the film tended to drag on alittle longer than they should have.

Cast:

Patrick Wilson plays as Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl II and he does a pretty good job at it. I wasn't sure an actor like Wilson was right for the part, but he surprised me. He had the right personality and made the character feel more human than he already is. Malin Akerman plays as Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre II and she does an alright job at it. I thought she fit the costume right and made a decent character opposite Wilson, but I'm not sure she was particularly right for the role. I would have loved to see someone more serious take the role. Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays as Edward Blake/The Comedian and he probably gives the best performance out of everyone. He seems more relaxed and focused on his character. I really enjoyed his work on this film. Jackie Earle Haley plays as Walter Kovacs/Rorschach and he gives a mixed performance. At times, he was great and fluid, but their were also times were he felt somewhat off. I mostly enjoyed his work on this character, but It would have been interesting to see what someone else could have done. We also have Billy Crudup playing as Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan. He does a good job with the character and I enjoyed what a talented actor like Crudup did with such a bizarre character like Dr. Manhattan. I think he nailed the part for the most aspect, but I think people could have been better off not seeing his blue penis every time he makes a screen appearance.

Picture:

The visual look of Watchmen is simply fantastic. The film has this film-noir style that makes the film seem much more real than it should be. Watchmen was just released a couple weeks ago so it doesn't contain much in terms of film grain. Their is grain present, but its simply an overlay that seems to make the film much more gritty and dark. Colors are somewhat hard to explain. Their are scenes of the movie where it feels like Sin City with its black and white footage, but then their are scenes that are vibrantly filled with such dynamic colors such as the Vietnam scene. Keep in mind that this is a violent dark film so I'm sure the coloring is all based on this reason only. Black levels are very strong and very inky. The darker scenes also hold up very well. Flesh tones are spot on perfect and always seem natural. Characters don't look waxy or artificial, but more natural. Detail is great and really shows alot of clarity in the image. I thought 300 looked great, but I think Watchmen is a slight step up in terms of detail. The environments and clothing on the character always seem to be nicely detailed. Watchmen is sure to please in terms of its visuals.

Sound:

The soundtrack in Watchmen was a mixed bag for me. The original music was done by composer Tyler Bates who also scored Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake and 300. He does a good job scoring the film, but his score is hardly used enough. What really brings Watchmen down in the sound department is simply the choice of music that's being played through out the movie. The film starts off with music like The Times They Are A'Changin by Bob Dylan than later on we have music like Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Then their is the famous All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Now these are all great music and I simply love all of them. Its just that these great songs don't go well with the film and really takes away the gritty/dark feeling that the film simply tries to dish out. While I may have not liked the choice of music played through out the movie, theirs little to be disappointed in terms of bass. Watchmen delivers some of the strongest bass usage I have seen in awhile. While the film may not be as action packed as 300, it still manages to rumble like no tomorrow. The action scenes trembled with bass and really gave an immersive experience.

Conclusion:

Watchmen is a good movie that's definitely worth experiencing especially on the big screen. It stays mostly faithful the series and isn't your normal superhero movie that we have come to expect. Its dark, gritty and pretty darn violent. I enjoyed the story and still think its worth seeing twice to fully grasp it. I didn't like the pacing of the movie and its run-time could have been trimmed alittle more, but its still an entertaining movie none the less. The cast was pretty great for the most part and went well with their character counter parts. The visual look of the movie is simply fantastic and really brings this graphic novel to life. I thought it had some awesome color effects and was wonderfully detailed. The soundtrack was a mixed bag and featured some great music from artists such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Jimi Hendrix that didn't go well with the actual movie itself. The bass is hardly anything to complain about and really made this film much more surreal. I think Watchmen is definitely worth watching, but just be prepared for a long movie that's got some problems here and their.

Grade: B-

Sorry For The Lack Of Updates

(Note: This ain't us, I just found this on google and thought it looked pretty funny)

Sorry guys for the lack of updates, but we as in the whole crew have been really busy and so we decided to take some time off. Were back now and Ill try to update the blog everyday from now on. I'm also here to tell you that their will be no more Weekend Box Office Numbers simply because its really time consuming and I'm not sure alot of people out their even liked that weekly feature. We may do something that's box office related in the future, but their wont be anything like that for now. At the Scene is going to focus more on reviews and movie news from now on. Their should be a Watchmen review going up sometime today. We also have a review coming up for the Clive Owen and Julia Roberts spy comedy, Duplicity.

Poster For Where The Wild Things Are

The new poster for director Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are has debuted in Nick Magazine and can be viewed above. Featuring Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara and Forest Whitaker, the big screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic book hits theaters on October 16.

Thoughts:

Poster looks cool and only makes me more excited for the film. What we have seen so far seems to stay faithful to Sendak's classic book and I really hope the movie turns out great.

Weekend Boxoffice Numbers

In Order

Race to Witch Mountain
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $24,402,214
Last Week: -
Total: $24,402,214
________________________________________________________
Watchmen
Studio: Warner Bros.
This Week: $17,817,301
Last Week: $55,214,334
Total: $85,751,993
________________________________________________________
The Last House on the Left
Studio: Rogue Pictures
This Week: $14,118,685
Last Week: -
Total: $14,118,685
________________________________________________________
Taken
Studio: 20th Century Fox
This Week: $6,568,651
Last Week: $7,334,814
Total: $126,752,054
________________________________________________________
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail
Studio: Lionsgate
This Week: $5,108,532
Last Week: $8,532,412
Total: $83,187,594
________________________________________________________
Slumdog Millionaire
Studio: Fox Searchlight
This Week: $5,002,777
Last Week: $6,808,383
Total: $132,602,820
________________________________________________________
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Studio: Columbia Pictures
This Week: $3,119,151
Last Week: $4,146,316
Total: $137,785,983
________________________________________________________
He's Just Not That Into You
Studio: Warner Bros.
This Week: $2,939,484
Last Week: $4,017,326
Total: $89,038,259
________________________________________________________
Coraline
Studio: Focus Features
This Week: $2,718,231
Last Week: $3,255,852
Total: $69,240,852
________________________________________________________
Miss March
Studio: 20th Century Fox
This Week: $2,409,156
Last Week: -
Total: $2,409,156

Thoughts:
Disney's Race to Witch Mountain opened in first place this week which many analysts expected. The film starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brought in an estimated $24 million which was slightly higher than the $22 million opening of Johnson's 2007 Disney hit, The Game Plan, and that movie went on to make $90 million. I can see Race to Witch Mountain having some legs, but it will probably face some strong competition from the Dreamworks Animated flick, Monsters vs. Aliens which opens on the 27th.

After having the biggest opening weekend for 2009, Zack Snyder's Watchmen took a deep plunge this week. The film based on the graphic novel of the same name only brought in $17.8 million on its second week. The film fell 67% from last weeks numbers. We all knew Watchmen's numbers were going to fall this week simply because all the die-hard fans saw it last week, but I don't think anyone was expecting it to fall this hard. The film is heading to a $120 million finish which makes me somewhat sad because I was able to catch the film last night and thought it was pretty good. A review for the film is in the works and should go up sometime shortly. The horror remake The Last House on the Left from Rogue Pictures, opened in third place with $14.2 million. The film has been getting somewhat positive feedback or at least better feedback from Disney's Race to Witch Mountain and it should give the movie some legs.

Fox's Taken continues to amaze me with its numbers seeing as how the film has been out for some time now. The film brought in $6.5 million for a total of $126 million making it Fox's biggest sleeper hit of the year. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail also took somewhat of a plunge this week falling from the number two spot last week to number five this week. The comedy flick took in $5 million this week for a total of $83 million making it Perry's biggest film yet. The Oscar hit, Slumdog Millionaire is starting to slow down in sales. The film made $5 million this week for a total of $132 million. The movie has become a box office hit for studio Fox Searchlight and still has a shot at reaching $150 million before its run. Coraline from Focus is starting to die down, but the stop-motion animated film took in $2.7 million this week for a total of $69 million. The film should finish at $70-73 million and prove that stop-motion ain't going nowhere.

Warner Bros. Remaking Stephen King's IT

Warner Bros. is doing "It," tapping Dave Kajganich to adapt Stephen King's novel, with Dan Lin and Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison producing.

"It" centers on seven children in a small Maine town who confront the source of a series of murders in 1958 and again in 1985, when the cycle begins again.

The novel was previously adapted into a 1990 ABC miniseries.

Thoughts:

Now I haven't seen the ABC miniseries, but I'm going to try to check it out as early as next week. I heard the miniseries was great and did the book some justice, but the book was vastly superior. People claimed the book was really long so capturing its storytelling and essence while fitting it into a two part miniseries was barely manageable. Not to mention it was on ABC so the blood and gore had to be kept at a minimum. Now if the miniseries wasn't long enough to fit this entire great story, how the hell is the movie going to work? I mean I would easily go with a two part movie kind of like the second and third Matrix films with the second part coming out only a month after the first part. I would also heavily advertise the movie so alot of people would watch the miniseries version while their waiting for the film adaption, but I highly doubt Warner Bros. would go this route.

Ben Stiller Film Gets More Cast Members

Director Noah Baumbach has set a trio of thesps to star alongside Ben Stiller in the dramedy "Greenberg" for Focus Features.

Rhys Ifans, Brie Larson and Juno Temple have joined the pic, which Scott Rudin is producing.

Penned by Baumbach, story centers on a New Yorker (Stiller) who moves to Los Angeles to housesit for his brother and figure out his life. He ends up having a relationship with his brother's assistant (Greta Gerwig).

Ifans will play Stiller's best friend, who is going through a divorce. Larson will play Stiller's college-age temptation, and Temple will portray her buddy. Shooting will begin later this month.

Thoughts:

I don't remember any of these actors so I'm not sure what to think of this. Its also going to be interesting to see Stiller doing a dramedy flick like this. Hope it turns out good. Focus Features has been on a role lately with their films so you never know.

Journey to the Center of the Earth Sequel Set

New Line's reteaming with Walden Media and ContraFilm for a sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

The sequel's based on Richard Outten's script "Mysterious Travels: The Lost Map of Treasure Island," in which Prof. Trevor Anderson and his nephew embark on a journey to a mysterious island that was the subject of three classic novels (Jules Verne's "Mysterious Island," Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" and Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels").

"Journey to the Center of the Earth," starring Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson, was a strong summer performer last year with $101 million domestically and another $140 million overseas. The film was shot in live action, but the landscapes and creatures were generated with high-definition, photo-real 3-D technology.

Eric Brevig, who directed "Journey" but has not yet committed to helm "Mysterious Travels," is working with Outten to develop the script for the sequel. Visual effects vet Charlotte Huggins and ContraFilm's Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson will reprise their roles as producers.

Fraser and Hutcherson have not yet signed on for the sequel.

Thoughts:

I still haven't seen Journey to the Center of the Earth so I'm not sure how I feel about a sequel. I heard it was a fun movie, but the trailers just made it look like a huge CGI effect roller coaster which I'm not sure I will like.

First Look at Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Disney has launched its new magazine, Disney twenty-three, this week and included is a preview of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, coming to theaters on March 5, 2010. Posters at The Tim Burton Collective have scanned the article which features a new photo and concept art from the film, starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Crispin Glover, Stephen Fry and Alan Rickman.

Thoughts:

Sorry for the weird lining on the pics, but their from a Disney Mag that someone took pics of. I'm not liking the look of Alice, but maybe that's just me judging this film too hard simply due to the fact I loved the Disney animated version. I do like the concept art and I'm sure Depp would make an awesome Mad Hatter. Still, I'm going to see this film simply because I love the novel and I'm very curious to see what a creative director like Tim Burton can do with this mesmerizing tale. I just wish it wasn't coming out next year. March 2010 is so far away and I hope the long wait is worth it.

Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson set for Iron Man 2

After months of negotiations, the Wrestler's comeback kid, Mickey Rourke, has finally sealed a deal with Marvel to play villain Whiplash. Rourke's team had reportedly held out for more money after Marvel's initial offer was just $250,000.

Scarlett Johansson is also joining the superhero set.Her rep confirms that the actress has signed on to play Black Widow in the Iron Man sequel opposite Robert Downey Jr. The deal was signed this afternoon.

"Scarlett is thrilled to be a part of Iron Man," her rep, Marcel Pariseau, tells me.

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios have set a May 2010 release for part two of the blockbuster franchise. Directed by Jon Favreau, the cast also includes Gwyneth Paltrow returning as Pepper Potts, along with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Don Cheadle playing Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes.

Thoughts:

I think this is great news since both Rourke and Johansson are talented actors. Johansson is as hot as ever and I would easily pay to see her in a summer superhero film. I'm glad everything worked out with Rourke and how he got more money out of Marvel for his role. Seriously, $250,000 honestly wasn't enough especially for a Golden Globe winner.

Joe Wright Set To Direct Indian Summer For Universal

The Soloist helmer Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) will next direct "Indian Summer" for Working Title and Universal.

Project is based on the book of the same name by Alex von Tunzelmann about the last days of Britain's colonial rule in India and the symbolic end of Blighty's status as a world superpower.

William Nicholson (Gladiator) is penning the screenplay. Working Title co-toppers Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan will produce alongside Hilary Bevan Jones (The Boat That Rocked).

Pic will follow the fateful events as Britain's Lord Mountbatten, with glamorous wife Edwina in tow, is sent to oversee the handover of power in the summer of 1947 to Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister.

"Indian Summer" will mark Wright's fourth collaboration with Working Title and will be the first project the helmer will direct under a two-picture deal inked last year with the Brit production powerhouse and Universal.

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Pride & Prejudice and Atonement both of which were directed by Joe Wright. I think hes a talented director and his films always seem to be compelling. I haven't read Indian Summer, but I'm sure Wright will deliver another solid title. Here's hoping Keira Knightley is in it since she tends to perform better in his movies.

REVIEW: Changeling

Changeling

Year: 2008
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffery Donovan, Michael Kelly, Gattlin Griffith
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Mystery movies are probably one of my favorite movie genres, especially when they’re based on true stories. They’re the kind of movies that keep me interested from beginning to end. Having skipped this movie in theatres, I decided to wait for the Blu-ray release instead. And with Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood directing, Oscar winner Angelina Jolie starring and a mystery plot to it, this was a must-see for me.

Plot Outline:
Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) and her son Walter Collins (Gattlin Griffith) are your typical loving American family living in the 1920s-era Los Angeles. All that changes when Christine comes back from work later than usual and notices that Walter isn’t home and is nowhere to be found in the neighborhood. After reporting her missing son to the LAPD, they conduct an investigation, which attracts national attention. Five months after the disappearance, Walter is supposedly found. What starts out as a disappearance of a boy, soon changes into a plan to take down the LAPD and their corrupt leaders.

Plot:
I have personally never heard of the story of Christine Collins and her son, and would have probably never bothered with the movie if it didn’t have the cast and director it has. With that said, writer J. Michael Straczynski does a fantastic job with the story. The search for the boy quickly takes off early on in the movie. When Reverend Gustav A. Briegleb is introduced into the movie, the story splits into two parts. One part being the search for the boy and the other being to bring down the LAPD. The movie does an excellent job giving equal time to both parts with a conclusion that also satisfies both parts.

Cast:
Angelina Jolie plays the main character in the movie, Christine Collins. She does a fantastic job portraying Christine, showing what lengths a mother would go to to find her missing son, even months or years after his disappearance. Next, we have John Malkovich playing as Reverend Gustav A. Briegleb, a person who had dedicated his life to bringing down the corrupted LAPD. He also does a great job portraying his character, although he doesn’t make too many appearances. Jeffrey Donovan plays Captain J.J. Jones; I’m not really a fan of his acting, his acting feels a fake to me and over-dramatized in some, if not all parts.

Picture:
Let me start by saying that Clint Eastwood and the production team do an excellent job bringing out a living 1920s L.A. The video itself has a sepia-tone feel to it, giving the movie more of a 20s vintage look to it, thanks to cinematographer Tom Stern. Even the Universal logo in the beginning of the movie gets a classic 20s look to it. Details are spot-on and sharp. Grain is minimal throughout the film, being more visible in some parts of the movie than others. Black levels are solid and no detail is lost between the shadows.

Sound:
I was surprised to find out that Eastwood also composed the musical for the movie. Unsurprisingly, he does a great job with the music. The sound designers did a great job editing the film to give it a more realistic feel, on top of the great visuals. Dialogue is also exceptionally great; I didn’t have to change the volume once throughout the movie, everything was clearly understood and never thought to myself "What did he say?"

Conclusion:
With great actors and an amazing director, Changeling does a great job showing the story of Christine Collins and her struggle to find her son and bring down the corrupted LAPD. The picture is outstanding, bringing out a visually great looking 1920s L.A. The audio is just as well done as the picture, with a great musical score.

Grade: B+

Trailer For Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell

Universal Pictures has debuted the trailer for director Sam Raimi's new horror movie, Drag Me to Hell, opening in theaters on May 29th.

In the film, Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks (David Paymer), and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home.

In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?

Thoughts:

Looks pretty good and the film has been getting positive reactions from test screenings. Its also nice to see Raimi going back to horror and taking a break from doing more Spider-Man films.

Dakota Fanning Set To Star In New Moon

It's (finally!) official: Dakota Fanning is getting her fangs.

The 15-year-old actress is set to star in New Moon as Jane – a sinister vampire with an angelic exterior who works for the Volturi, a rep for Summit Entertainment confirms to PEOPLE.

Filming of Twilight sequel is set to begin in Vancouver later this month. The movie hits theaters in November.

"We did just get a script. We're shooting the rest of the films back to back," says Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale in the film. "(Director) Chris Weitz is amazing and I think it's going to be wonderful."

Thoughts:

Still haven't seen Twilight and I have been meaning to, but just never had the right time to do so. I think Dakota Fanning is a pretty good actress and plays her part right...at least most of the time. I think she will be a nice addition to the series.

Fox Acquires Rights To Mr. Popper's Penguins

In a deal pegged at seven figures, Twentieth Century Fox has acquired screen rights to "Mr. Popper's Penguins," an adaptation of the beloved 1938 children's book that will be produced by John Davis.

Sean Anders and John Morris have been set to write the screenplay.

The book, which won the 1939 Newbery Award, is about Mr. Popper, a house painter whose dreams of Arctic exploration prompt him to write letters to real explorers. One of them sends him a penguin, which he keeps in the icebox. Before he knows it, the painter has a litter of 12 beaked birds. They eat voraciously, leading him to form Popper's Performing Penguins, a stage act that goes on tour and creates mayhem at every stop.

Davis will produce through his Davis Entertainment banner, and IPG's Joel Gotler will be executive producer.

Thoughts:

I don't remember If I read this when I was little, but I think this is good news for Fox. The idea sounds interesting and could make for a nice family film especially during the Winter season.

Trio Join Ridley Scott's Robin Hood Film

Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand and Alan Doyle have been cast as the group of adventurers in Universal and Imagine's Robin Hood tale being directed by Ridley Scott.

Russell Crowe toplines the movie, which is being billed as a retelling of the origins of the key characters of the Robin Hood legend. Cate Blanchett is on board as Maid Marian in the project written by Brian Helgeland.

Scott is producing with Imagine's Brian Grazer.

Scott Grimes ("ER," "American Dad") has been cast in the role of Will Scarlet, a skilled swordsman and Hood's nephew. Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, "Lost") is playing Little John, Hood's right-hand man. Alan Doyle is playing Alan a Dayle,CQ who in lore was a roving minstrel and needed help when his love was being forced to marry another man.

Thoughts:

Glad to see this movie picking up the pace and moving forward. This looks like a good casting call and one that should play out well. I'm still expecting this film to be great since Scott is behind the wheel and its based on a famous story we all know by now. I just hope Scott brings a more darker version of this story to fruition because I'm getting tired of seeing the same campy Robin Hood story over again and again.

Vin Diesel Hints at Third Riddick Movie

In an interview with GameSpot talking about the upcoming "The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena" video game, Vin Diesel hinted at a third movie in the "Chronicles of Riddick" franchise.

"Maybe we're too tight-lipped about the next 'Chronicles of Riddick' film, and I think circa the release of [Dark Athena] that's probably when you'll start hearing more about the next 'Riddick' film," Diesel said. "It is underway and I almost think it's a coincidence that we haven't heard anything, that there hasn't been a lot of public stuff on the 'Riddick' movie.

Diesel added that David Twohy, who wrote and directed Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick, is finishing up the script.

"Assault on Dark Athena" hits stores on April 7th on Xbox 360 and PS3.

Thoughts:

Haven't seen the previous Riddick films, but I heard they were entertaining. My friend Matt enjoyed those so I'm sure he would be excited for another movie. I guess another movie might sound like a good idea since it would be ideal to finish off the trilogy with 3 movies rather than 2 right?

Milla Jovovich Eyeing Thriller Mile Zero

Director Marcel Langenegger has signed on to helm and develop Phoenix Pictures' thriller "Mile Zero" as a possible starring vehicle for Milla Jovovich.

"Mile Zero," penned by Holly Brix, centers on a young woman attempting to clear her father's name in a string of gruesome murders at an Alaskan oil refinery.

Phoenix topper Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer, Brad Fischer and James Vanderbilt will produce, with JC Spink and Chris Bender exec producing.

Langenegger, a veteran commercials helmer, made his feature directing debut last year on Fox's "Deception," starring Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams.

Thoughts:

Haven't seen Deception so I'm not sure what director Langenegger is capable of, but I do know that Milla Jovovich is more than capable of kicking butt. Story sounds somewhat intriguing so where going to have to wait and see how this turns out.

Sean Penn Going After Cartel

Sean Penn is in talks to star in "Cartel," a drama for Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. Asger Leth will direct and Brian Grazer is producing.

Scripted by Peter Craig, the mission movie will follow Ed Marker as he journeys to protect his son after his wife is brutally murdered in the gritty world of Mexican cartels.

The drama took root at Imagine as a remake of 1993 Italian film "La scorta," which followed four cops' struggle to guard a special prosecutor trying to bring mob bosses to justice. It evolved into an action vehicle for Penn.

Robert Stone and Webster Stone will exec produce. Leth makes his dramatic feature directing debut on the film. He previously won a DGA Award for directing the 2006 documentary "Ghosts of Cite Soleil."

The studio and Imagine want to get the picture into production by summer. Start date won't be firmed until Penn's deal is made.

Thoughts:

Sounds kind of like Man on Fire, but with alittle spice. I'm always a fan of Penn so count me excited for this flick.

Fantastic Four Getting A Reboot?

The two films previously released never really caught on with the fans and the studio is reportedly looking to completely retool, recast and recrew the franchise. This means no Tim Story, no Iaon, no Julian (thank the maker, he never sat well with me as Dr. Doom), no Chris, no Chiklis and no Jessica.

The first Fantastic Four in 2005 pulled in over $330 million worldwide and the second film, Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer, opened in 2007 with a total box office take of $290 million. Both made money and were commercial successes but the reviews were lackluster and the fan reaction was mediocre.

The franchise is looking to be "less bubble gum" this time round following the Iron Man template, which was a complete success in reviews and box office take but a bit darker when it came to its superhero. Iron Man was in no way as dark as The Dark Knight but was funny, action-y as well as a bit on the serious side.

Thoughts:

I'm mostly excited about this since the previous two films were garbage and could have been MUCH better. Out of all the cast members, I always thought Jessica Alba was the complete worse choice to play Susan Storm. She didn't even look like the character from the comics and her acting was pretty terrible. I'm not sure what my cast or director would be for this reboot since I would have to think about it, but I sure do hope that this reboot stays more faithful to the comics. The Fantastic Four is a good Marvel property and with the right amount of everything, it could be something special.

Universal Grabs A Perfect Getaway From MGM

Director David Twohy (Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick) has given us a new picture from the movie and has also updated the film's status.

See, once upon a time, APG was going to be an MGM release, and March 14 was the date that worked for that studio’s release schedule. But recently Universal saw the movie, liked its upside, and made a successful bid to cherry-pick it away from MGM. Which is fine by me, since I’ve done two releases with the folks at Uni —PITCH BLACK and RIDDICK. It’s a good team they have in place, led by Adam Fogelson, and they know their shit. Waiting a few extra months for them to get their marketing materials together is a small price to pay for having a major like Uni release your movie.

Anyway, the date that works for Uni schedule is now sometime in August, possibly August 14. And I’ll even caveat that, if only because movies frequently change release dates these days. Sometimes it’s a reflection of the movie itself, sometimes it’s simply about the musical chairs that all studios play with their releases. So don’t get too hung up about it. I don’t.

Thoughts:

Interesting that Universal Pictures made a bid for this film right before the films initial release. I guess the studio saw something they thought would be a killer movie. I'm somewhat interested in this film. Even though I haven't see any of the Riddick films, I heard they were tons of fun and I'm sure this film will be too.

Weekend Boxoffice Numbers

In Order

Watchmen
Studio: Warner Bros.
This Week: $55,214,334
Last Week: -
Total: $55,214,334
________________________________________________________
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail
Studio: Lionsgate
This Week: $8,532,412
Last Week: $16,175,926
Total: $76,237,739
________________________________________________________
Taken
Studio: 20th Century Fox
This Week: $7,334,814
Last Week: $9,864,197
Total: $117,933,922
________________________________________________________
Slumdog Millionaire
Studio: Fox Searchlight
This Week: $6,808,383
Last Week: $12,026,343
Total: $125,324,813
________________________________________________________
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Studio: Columbia Pictures
This Week: $4,146,316
Last Week: $5,602,392
Total: $133,588,995
________________________________________________________
He's Just Not That Into You
Studio: Warner Bros.
This Week: $4,017,326
Last Week: $6,011,405
Total: $84,644,583
________________________________________________________
Coraline
Studio: Focus Features
This Week: $3,255,852
Last Week: $5,261,129
Total: $65,627,777
________________________________________________________
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $3,100,298
Last Week: $4,634,534
Total: $38,335,114
________________________________________________________
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This Week: $2,832,454
Last Week: $12,510,374
Total: $16,838,775
________________________________________________________
Fired Up
Studio: Columbia Pictures
This Week: $2,478,381
Last Week: $3,701,562
Total: $13,238,432

Thoughts:
Zack Snyder's Watchmen took the number one spot this week with an estimated $55.2 million. The film was easily going to bring in alot of money this week especially since no other studio was releasing a wide release, but I'm surprised the film opened with such low numbers. I'm not saying $55.2 million is low, but its low considering Snyder's 300 opened with $75 million when it released. Watchmen also had more hype than 300 and was even released in more theaters than 300. I guess the films average reviews and long run time had a factor in this.

Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail finally fell to the number two spot with $8.5 million. The film is already at $76 million and has become the biggest hit in Perry's career. The movie has more than made its budget back and has pleased Lionsgate enough for them to sign him up for two more movies. Coming in at number three was the Fox action thriller "Taken", with an impressive $7 million. The film has sure become a sleeper hit of the year and continues to amaze me every week that its on this list. The film is already at $118 million and should cruise past the $130 million mark. The much talked about Oscar hit Slumdog Millionaire, took number four on the top ten list with an estimated $6.8 million. The film is already on its way to become Fox Searchlight's biggest hit and should pass Juno's $143 million gross.

Sony's Paul Blart: Mall Cop climbed up one spot and brought in $4 million. The comedy flick starring Kevin James is already at $133 million and has made well over its budget. I expect Sony to announce a sequel soon since the film has become a big hit for the studio. The romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You from Warner Bros. is also doing pretty well and brought in $4 million over the weekend. The chick flick starring Jennifer Aniston and a bunch of other top celebs is already at $84 million. I can see it reaching $100 million or close to that before its run. Coraline from Focus Features didn't change spots and held the number seven spot with $3.3 million over the weekend. The stop-motion animated flick from the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas is already at $65 million and will probably ends its run with $70-$75 million.

Confessions of a Shopaholic moved up one spot from last week with $3 million for a total of $38 million. Disney's Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience took a BIG drop this week with only $2.8 million. The film opened in second place last week, but fell to number nine this week. Maybe this will tell Disney to stop releasing these dumb concert films theatrically when they should be direct-to-DVD releases. Sony's Fired Up also didn't change spots and still held on to the number ten spot with an estimated $2.4 million over the weekend.

New Star Trek Trailer Hits Online

The full new trailer for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek is here! Opening in conventional and IMAX theaters on May 8th, the anticipated film stars John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy.

Thoughts:

This trailer was really eye popping and had me sucked in. Really weird that were getting a bunch of trailers today, but since most of them are really good, I'm not going to complain. This Star Trek trailer is probably the best one I have seen which means alot since the previous ones have also been good. Its amazing how alot of non-trekkie fans with myself included, are getting really excited about a Star Trek film. I haven't seen anything Star Trek related, but I'm definitely interested in this film. I think director J.J. Abrams has a visionary idea for this film and its looking better and better with each new footage. This is easily in my top 5 films I'm excited for in 2009.

A Poster And Trailer For Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Warner Bros. Pictures has debuted the poster and a full new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince online.

Opening in conventional and IMAX theaters on July 17th, the David Yates-directed sixth installment stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, David Bradley, Jessie Cave, Frank Dillane, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Helen McCrory, Natalia Tena, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Bonnie Wright.

Thoughts:

Poster looks pretty cool, but the trailer looks really awesome. I'm really starting to enjoy the Harry Potter movies and how their getting darker with each new movie. I'm counting the days till this film gets released because its suppose to be big in terms of story. For those who have read the book know whats coming and its going to be exciting to see it on the big screen.