M. Night Shyamalan is at it again with his latest offering, The Last Airbender, based on a popular Nickolodean animated series that’s popular with children and many adults. I’ve always been a huge M. Night fan, though critics and most of you didn’t take too kindly to The Village and Lady in the Water. Okay, so maybe I didn’t like Lady too much either. M. Night is much more of a director than a writer, and that’s becoming apparent now that the Last Airbender superbowl TV spot has found its way online. People are raving about it, and I can see why.

M. Night lends his vision to an animated world that is very much in need of a director with vision. It’s a great combination – I was already impressed by the first trailer.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Superbowl TV Commercial

Check out the superbowl TV spot.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Teaser Trailer

And for those of you who have never heard of it, check out the first trailer.

The action still looks a little silly to me, but the world M. Night is creating seems fantastic, almost similar to what Peter Jackson did with Lord of the Rings. I for one am hoping M. Night is able to bounce back from his recent decline to fulfill the potential everyone knows he has. He certainly has rich source material to draw from that will allow him to focus on what he does best: directing.

Are you impressed by what you see so far in the superbowl commercial and teaser trailer?

Check out the The Wolfman trailer! It looks to be an intense and introspective tale about a man’s battle with his darker self, with plenty of action to boot! The movie boasts an excellent cast, starring Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt and Anthony Hopkins. The Wolfman is directed by Joe Johnston.

Here is a summary of the film from IMDB:

“Lawrence Talbot, a haunted nobleman, is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother… and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Talbot’s childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother’s fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate.”

The Wolfman Trailer

The Wolfman Poster

What did you think about the trailer? Will it have a beastly box office number or only scare away fans of the originals?

[source: IMDB]

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are set to return to the big screen following the success of Fast & Furious, the latest of the F&F movie franchise. According to sources, the next installment will be called Fast Five, and will follow the two as they are chased by “relentless lawmen.” Diesel is stating that the script would actually set up two sequels, not just one. This is extremely surprising to me as I thought Diesel and Walker had potential Oscar-winning roles lined up – sike.

I’ll admit the first movie was original in trying to capture the flamboyant and outrageous racing culture of the time. However, they pushed it a little too far in the sequel where they should have backed up and developed a more compelling story. The third, Tokyo Drift, was a little more refreshing as we saw new characters in a different environment (Japan, where modifications and street racing has its true home). The fourth? Well, it broke April theater records so someone must be hurting for more quarter mile thrills. Fans of street racing will continue to support the franchise, but they deserve better.

Fast & Furious Reboot

We’ve seen many Hollywood films rebooted, so why not this one? Well, it’s only because Vin Diesel still sells tickets. But once that’s over, this is a property that I think could still be developed to success in the right way. Get rid of the NOS, get rid of the cheap girl scenes and focus on the racing.

As a car enthusiast, my heart goes out to those looking for a respectable racing film. Focus on the characters, get real cars and make sure they’re not flying off ramps and collapsing bridges. Talk about the technical aspects of building race cars and hire a damn consultant who understands cars.

How I’d Do It

Get Vin Diesel a respectable antagonist, not a brawny tough guy like he is, but someone who challenges him where he should be challenged: on the road course. The antagonist drives much better than Diesel, and he soon learns that he has to refine his technique rather than trying to outpower him. It’s a good first step, and we could see it as a kind of reboot where Diesel learns to drive again.

Good or bad idea, it doesn’t matter. When it comes to Hollywood the executives will be saying the same thing – fast cars and faster women. It might sell tickets for a few more shows, but it will never become an iconic franchise for the right reasons.

The Fast and the Furious

Do you live your life a quarter mile at a time?

[source: Aint It Cool]

When news broke that Spider-Man 4 wasn’t going to happen and that Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire were out, I was more than a little shocked. After all, the studios kept telling us that it was going to shoot soon and that things were going swimmingly after the numerous rewrites. I was sad then, but I’m terrified now. They want to put Spider-Man back in high school to “open up the creative possibilities.” “Like O-M-G Peter!” What’s a Spidey fan like me to do at this moment? Since there’s nothing we can do, let’s take a look at the top 5 worst candidates for the web-slinger’s role.

1. Zac Effron.

Why He’s a Bad Choice: He might have the looks, but the guy simply can’t act. I appreciate how much effort he puts into his movies but he lacks the talent to carry such a demanding role. That, and everyone will be yelling “High School Musical!” during the previews.

2. Taylor Lautner.

Why He’s a Bad Choice: If Columbia Pictures somehow rewrote it so that Spider-Man never wore a shirt, I could see this appealing at least to young females. Alas, it’s not the case. We’ve already seen (those of us with girlfriends) how bad New Moon was with Lautner trying to carry a movie.

3. Justin Chatwin.

Why He’s a Bad Choice: The guy destroyed the Dragon Ball franchise after just one movie, so let him do the same with Spider-Man? At least Tobey will appreciate how much better Chatwin makes him look.

4. Zack and Cody.

Why He’s a Bad Choice: If you want to see Spider-Man in high school, look no further than the acting you get with Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Seriously. You might as well hire the talent from that show too.

5. Shia Labeouf.

Why He’s a Bad Choice: With Indiana Jones and Transformers already under his belt, Labeouf needs just one more franchise to destroy. This movie is damned either way – at least we’ll be able to blame someone for it.

I sincerely hope that none of the above are ever chosen, but hey, in Hollywood where it’s money over substance, I wouldn’t be surprised.

By now, you’ve heard of how wildly successful James Cameron’s latest 3D adventure Avatar has been doing in theaters. Even my parents have seen it, and they’ve only seen Passion of the Christ and Titanic in theaters. That’s big. It means that the reach and pull of the movie is beyond the typically targeted demographics. But for all its hype, technology and $500 million budget, why did the movie have such a simple (read: generic) plot?

This may surprise you, but just because you’ve heard someone (or many) call the plot to Avatar “dumb” doesn’t meant that the writer, James Cameron, is dumb. His success is already a testament to this. Nor should you be foolish enough to believe that Cameron was so egotistical that he didn’t employ top writers and editors to check over his script, or that there weren’t many versions of it despite what anyone says. I’m convinced that the main reason Cameron chose this plot is because it is a universal and lasting story, one that all audiences even in the future will be able to relate to and understand.

Dances with Wolves Test

Still don’t believe me? Okay, try this. Approach anyone age 21 and younger and ask them what Dances with Wolves was about. Then ask them to name the lead actor in it, Kevin Costner. Keep trying this and you’ll keep seeing blank faces or encounter prolonged “I can’t quite remember…” statements. Many audiences in the future will judge the movie on its own merits, and will not compare it to films in the past no matter how close the association. Horror remakes continue to do well because despite their repetitive nature, they’re still new for someone. And more importantly, the formula works.

That’s right, I said it: Formula.

“A man who does not know himself encounters a new land, and discovers that he shares more in common with the ____________ than his own people.”

How many times do we have to sit through this type of plot? It’ll never end, I assure you, because it’s a great story despite how many times it’s been done. You can tweak it all you want, but it’s all the same – The Last Samurai anyone? Self-discovery is what’s important here, and at some point, we all really can relate to it. And let us not forget, Cameron wrote this movie as a “game-changer,” one that would be measured by the movies that came before it and after it. While that likely won’t happen, that was the intention and the movie will certainly be remembered as a milestone for the movie industry. The Silver Age, the Golden Age, and now the 3D Age. When people watch this movie 40 years down the line however, the story is what will help to keep the movie’s place in history, not the technology that made it so special today.

Avatar is not genius because it’s new, it’s genius because it’s old but feels new.

Sherlock Holmes is easily one of my most anticipated movies of 2009, although the year is almost done. The film will be released December 25, 2009 – Christmas Day. It should be a great movie for the entire family. Judging by the trailer, there seems to be a bit of everything: humor, intrigue, mystery, sex and action.

The movie stars Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams (one of my favorite actresses today).

Plot: Detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner Watson attempt to foil the plans of a mad man, Lord Blackwood (played by Mark Strong) with supernatural elements of involved.

[source: IMDB]

Sherlock Holmes Official Trailer

Sherlock Holmes Official Poster

And here’s some Rachel McAdams in case you’re not convinced.
The Cinema Source

The Assassin’s Workout

For the movie, Rain’s workout allowed him to go from 12% bodyfat to 5%. Here’s what he did:

• Kettlebell workouts
• Sword fighting and stunt work (6 hours of cardio)
• Weights (2 hours a day, 5 days a week)

Ninja Diet

Now that you know the amount of work you have to put in, you’re ready for the harder part: the diet. That’s right. As any trainer worth their weight (haha) will tell you, a proper diet is 80% of the battle when you’re trying to transform your body. Rain gave up rice and ate the following for 8 months:

• Skinless chicken breat and vegetables
• Potatoes
• Raw fish
• Salad

He was also allowed to have a plain beef steak cooked in boiling water about once a month. Now that’s dedication!

Ninja Assassin Training Videos

Check out these videos to get a better idea of the kinds of things Rain had to do. He hired the guys that trained the actors from 300, so I’m sure there was some circuit training involved.

Stunt Training

Working Out

More Strength Training

There’s no real secret to Rain’s routine that anyone else couldn’t do. So if you’re serious about transforming your body, just follow what you learned from Rain:

• Eat clean
• Work out religiously
• Rinse and repeat for 8 months

Good luck!

Top 5 Reasons Sam Worthington is Here to Stay

Not convinced? Here are 5 reasons you’ll love seeing Worthington next year, and why you’ll continue to see him even more after.

1. He out-acts Christian Bale. It takes a strong actor to outdo Bale in his own film, who has been known to go all out for roles. Especially hot off the success of The Dark Knight. Worthington showed his acting ability by holding his own and then some against Bale and received acclaim for his portrayal of Marcus. Many critics believed he stole the show completely.

2. He has serious acting credentials. Just take a look at Worthington on IMDB and you’ll see a list of some notable films he’s acted in in the past, including Hart’s War. He’s also serious about research, as we heard he sent one of his friends down to the last Comic-Con to check out the latest in intellectual property and movie trends.

3. Clash of the Titans. Move over Harry Hamlin, there’s a new titan in town. Worthington will be starring in a remake of the 1981 classic sans robotic owl, and the trailer looks pretty awesome. By giving himself an opportunity to work with the likes of Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton, Worthington is positioning himself brilliantly among a cast that will refine his abilities.

Clash of the Titans Trailer

4. Looks. Did I have to mention it? No. But let’s face it, looks matter when it comes to building the next big acting machine. My girlfriend took one look at him and was instantly ready to buy tickets to his next movie. Don’t believe me? Just wait till he’s nominated as the next sexiest man of the year.

5. Avatar. That’s one powerful word if you know anything about Hollywood. James Cameron. Those are two more. Worthington may be the luckiest bastard in the world for landing the lead role in the movie many believe will revolutionize the film industry. We’ve already seen other studios gearing up to offer 3-D movies of their own, but nothing will compare to the impact of Cameron’s $400+ million production. Fans of Cameron are highly anticipating his latest offering since Titanic, a movie that will never be beaten at the box office. Ever.

Avatar Extended Trailer

Of course, there’s always a chance that Avatar won’t go well with critics or audiences. The movie could tank, leaving Worthington to rebuild slowly over time. It could happen. Will it? Nope.

Thanksgiving Weekend Box Office Results

And here are the top 10 results in from Turkey weekend:

1. Twilight Saga: New Moon $42.9 million
2. The Blind Side $40.1 million
3. 2012 $17.7 million
4. Old Dogs $16.9 million
5. Disney’s A Christmas Carol $15.8 million
6. Ninja Assassin $13.3 million
7. Planet 51 $10.2 million
8. Precious $7.1 million
9. Fantastic Mr. Fox $7.0 million
10. The Road $1.5 million

Vampires Beat Out Ninjas

The flashy Ninja Assassin got beat handily in theaters this weekend. Korean popstar Rain (Bi) was no match for the combined drawing power of Edward, Belle and Jacob. Both movies had similar critic ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, with Assassin at 28% and New Moon at 30%. The difference between the earning power of the two is that the Twilight has a book franchise behind it, more marketable actors and a PG-13 rating.

Rain for his part did a phenomenal job in the role of Raizo despite the lack of any real plot and a director who insists of blurring past the action (the major selling point of the film?).

Road to Nowhere

Viggo Mortensen’s The Road performed even worse than Ninja Assassin, and it’s box office pull was nonexistent. This is sad for me to see as the film is based on a terrific, Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Cormack McCarthy. Even if the book read more like a long poem, the makers of The Road were able to capture it well and receive high critical praise despite its lackluster revenues opening weekend.

It just goes to show that you can’t ignore the buying power of young, fawning females aged 15-30. C’mon men, let’s get The Blind Side to number one this weekend! Who else is upset that The Road and Ninja Assassin didn’t make more money?

Check out the all new trailer for Salt, starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Phillip Noyce. The movie is set to be released July 23, 2010.

Plot: Follows a CIA agent (Jolie) who is accused of being a Russian spy by a criminal she captures. The man insists agent Salt is really an undercover Russian with a mission to assassinate the President. She must go on the run and prove her innocence while eluding the one of the most powerful federal organizations.

[source: IMDB]

Salt Movie Poster

What did you think of the new trailer? Is Angelina on our side?