Here is the new trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium with a ton of new footage. The trailer actually begins on a humorous note which is a nice surprise before all the drama, exploding things and part-cybernetic Matt Damon. We also find out the true situation for Damon’s rush to get to the favored city in the sky. Blomkamp is obviously sticking very close to the social issues he brought up in District 9.
Elysium releases on August 9th.
What was supposed to be a ho-hum weekend at the box office turned into one of the biggest surprises of the year. The Ethan Hawke thriller The Purge, which was made for only $3 million, cashed in on the light release weekend to the tune of $36.3 million dollars making it the highest grossing weekend for an R-rated movie this year. This left Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn wanting as the Wedding Crashers could not recreate the same magic for The Internship which managed to bring in only $18.1 million for a fourth place finish.
1. The Purge- $36.3 million/ $36.3
2. Fast & Furious 6- $19.8/ $202.9
3. Now You See Me- $19.5/ $61.3
4. The Internship- $18.1/ $18.1
5. Epic- $12.1/ $84.1
6. Star Trek Into Darkness- $11.7/ $200.1
7. After Earth- $11.2/ $46.5
8. The Hangover Part III- $7.3/ $102.3
9. Iron Man 3- $5.7/ $394.3
10. The Great Gatsby- $4.2/ $136.1
Among the many rumors swirling around J.J. Abrams Star Wars Episode VII my favorite is easily the one that involves the director wanting his Fringe star John Noble to play a part. In a recent interview with IGN, the former Walter Bishop was asked about said rumor and Noble was more than willing to venture into the galaxy far, far away.
“That would just be epic doing something like that. And it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. I have a terrific relationship with J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot, I really do. So it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. It’s awhile away yet.”
Noble was then asked what it would be like joining up with a franchise as big as Star Wars especially given his work in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
“Well, I mean Star Wars. If you’re going to do one, do Star Wars. I mean seriously, if you’re going to pick one to do, do that one. Because that’s basically a cultural revolution. It reset pop culture in some ways. So if I had to choose one, it would be that one.”
Look, you can bring back your Hans, Lukes and Leias all you want, as of right now I basically have two requirements for Episode VII.
1. Billy Dee Williams
2. Walter Bishop, Sith Lord
After that, everything else is gravy.
Earlier this week I watched a stop-action short film. It’s a few years old, and so I’m surprised to just now hear about it. A Ride Towards the Sea is a story about a man’s failed journey into the real world, and was reportedly inspired by Pixar’s Finding Nemo.
I’ve always been interested in short films — it’s amazing how such a grand story can be told in only a few minutes. Think of what Pixar has done — their numerous independent short stories — even the heartbreaking introductory scenes to Up.
After seeing last year’s The Girl is Mime, starring Martin Freeman, my interest was renewed substantially, and I’ve been on the lookout for equally inspiring and heartbreaking stories, hence my recent discovery of A Ride Towards the Sea.
I dare you to watch either of these films and then admit that you felt nothing. Short films are truly a forgotten art.
Please share any short films you know and appreciate.
Iron Man 3 opened as more of a sequel to The Avengers than Iron Man 2 and it raked in the second biggest opening weekend ever behind…well, [amazon_link id=”B001KVZ6HK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Avengers[/amazon_link]. In twelve days the first flick in Marvel’s Phase 2 has made $680 million worldwide.
1. Iron Man 3- $175.3/ 175.3
2. Pain and Gain- $7.6/ 33.9
3. 42- $6.2/ 78.3
4. Oblivion- $5.7/ 75.9
5. The Croods- $4.2/ 168.7
It looks like Marvel is still hard at work getting all of their properties back under one cinematic umbrella. Last week they regained the rights to Daredevil and now they have Johnny Blaze back in the fold.
Exact details were not given on how Marvel acquired the rights from Sony, but one can assume it is because Sony saw no more profit in the character and Marvel gladly bought the rights back. The first Ghost Rider movie in 2007 was a success, but the 2012 follow-up, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, was only the second movie I could not make it through the whole way because it was a massive pile of shit.
Marvel has no plans for a reboot of the character and I think they are wise to wait a few years before even attempting it.
We may still get a cinematic trip to Sera as Variety is reporting that the [amazon_link id=”B002I0H79C” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Gears of War[/amazon_link] movie is back on track. Producer Scott Stuber (Battleship, Ted) has signed onto the project and Epic has agreed to work alongside Stuber’s Bluegrass Studios to get a script going and finance the film. After that, they can shop it around to the studios with Universal having first rights to option it.
Director Len Wiseman was last attached to Gears of War a few years back before things fell apart again for what seemed like the tenth time. If nothing can come of it this time, maybe it is time do be smart like Ken Levine with Bioshock and let the Gears movie ride off into the sunset.
Easiest way to describe the first trailer for R.I.P.D.? Imagine if Ryan Reynolds and Rooster Cogburn were supernatural police officers keeping the dead out of the living world.
I can easily see how some will roll their eyes and cringe at the almost Men In Black feel to it, but I got a kick out of it. Plus, Jeff Bridges doing an almost Rooster voice for two more hours is completely fine by me.
R.I.P.D. releases on July 19th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X07xNrVd7DU
Here is the order of things you need to do:
1. Sit down. Preferably on something firm and sturdy.
2. Click to play the new Man of Steel trailer.
3. Notice the goosebumps rising on your arm.
4. Realize how absolutely perfect the score is for the character.
5. When the trailer is done, sit back and give the holiest of shits you possibly can.
(Optional)
6. Repeat daily
How exactly do you follow up your first film which happened to be nominated for Best Picture? You get Matt Damon and Jodie Foster to star in your second sci-fi epic of course.
Elysium takes place in the year 2154 where the rich and privileged live on board a floating utopia named…you guessed it, Elysium. Matt Damon stars as Max Coburn, an ex-con that lives on the ruined shambles of Earth with the rest of the sick and poor. He has a plan to infiltrate Elysium to find the medical care he needs to save his life. To do this he is outfitted with a robotic device that connects to his spine and connects to his arms giving him super strength.
I will go ahead and say that, personally, I was not the biggest fan of District 9. I thought it was a pretty good movie, but couldn’t heap all the praise on it that was given. I am decidedly more excited about Elysium.
Check out the first trailer for the huge sci-fi film below. Elysium releases on August 9th.