The Last Airbender (2010)

The Last Airbender is an upcoming 2010 live action fantasy film adaptation of the first season of the Emmy-winning animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The movie is the first film in the planned The Last Airbender trilogy.

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. In the old days, there was peace between the four nations of the world. The Avatar the spiritual and physical manifestation of the Earth itself kept peace between the the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Only the Avatar has the ability to manipulate all four elements, but one day, he simply disappeared.

In the interim, the Fire Nation attacked, and for the last hundred years have carried out an all out war on the rest of the world. Now, for the good of the world, it's up to 12-year-old Aang (Noah Ringer), the new Avatar, to return peace and balance by putting his childish ways aside and mastering the four elements. Aang must accept his destiny by stopping the Fire Nation's war and defeating the Fire Lord for good.

Also Known As: Avatar, The Last Airbender
Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres: Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Release Date: July 2nd, 2010 (wide)
Distributors: Paramount Pictures
Production Co.: Nickelodeon Movies
Studios: Paramount Pictures
Filming Locations: Greenland
Produced in: United States

Trailer

Year One

In year 1, Zed (Jack Black) and his friend, Oh (Michael Cera), are two inept cavemen just trying to survive. Zed is a lazy hunter with no skills, and Oh is a gatherer of nuts and berries. Zed is banished from the village after he eats the forbidden fruit. Oh decides to go with Zed on his epic journey to the end of the earth. Instead, they both find a new world outside of their prehistoric village. They soon find themselves wandering in Biblical times in Bible country. They met Cain and Abraham tending to their herd, and for the first time in their lives they get to ride at a high rate of speed in Abrahams one cow cart. Zed and Oh meet many people in their travels, and along the way, they are sold into slavery and end up in Sodom. Douglas Young (the-movie-guy) After being banished from their homeland, Zed and Oh (Jack Black and Michael Cera), two tribesmen, embark on a journey through their ancient world. Along the way, they encounter Adam and Eve (Harold Ramis and Rhoda Griffis), Cain and Abel (David Cross and Paul Rudd), and Abraham (Hank Azaria). In an interview regarding Be Kind Rewind, Black stated that Year One will be about two men running around in Moses's time. He said that the movie is similar to Monty Python's Life of Brian. Black stated that it might be fun to see all the stories of the Bible in a modern movie. In an interview with MTV, Cera described it as a comedy set in Biblical times with Black's character, Zed, looking for some kind of meaning for his life. Black warned viewers expecting a comedy along the lines of Ghostbusters or Knocked Up that the style of the film is much more along the lines of the Monty Python movies.

Cast

Jack Black ... Zed
Michael Cera ... Oh
Oliver Platt ... High Priest
David Cross ... Cain
Christopher Mintz-Plasse ... Isaac
Vinnie Jones ... Sargon
Hank Azaria ... Abraham
Juno Temple ... Eema
Olivia Wilde ... Princess Inanna
June Diane Raphael ... Maya
Xander Berkeley ... King
Gia Carides ... Queen
Horatio Sanz ... Enmebaragesi
David Pasquesi ... Prime Minister
Matthew Willig ... Marlak (as Matthew J. Willig)

Intermezzo : Blog & SEO Contest

There are two SEO Contest for you to follow right this time if you are blogger who like playing with SEO strategy.

The first contest is carried by Alnect Komputer, an Computer Online Store from Yogyakarta Indonesia. In this contest we shouldn't only need to targeting the keyword in Google.co.id SERP but write a review about one of their products. This contest is held from 1 June 2009 to 31 July 2009.

Alnect computer blog contest period I invite you to submit ideas and opinions, as well as challenging your creativity in your review the products that we offer in our online store. Where is the review that you create will be very helpful in indonesia in the consumer choose products with quality and effective.

The second blog contest is related to political contex. In this SEO contest the keywords target are "kami mengadakan kontes Search Engine Optimation (SEO) dengan Keyword “RUSLI ZAINAL SANG VISIONER”".

HM Rusli Zainal is not foreign in the cheek Yellow Earth, even in Indonesia, his name began to shine, when all the regents se mendaulatnya Indonesia as their representative in the Council Consideration of Regional Autonomy (DPOD). Spirituality is obtained thanks to the success of his promotion in Indragiri Hilir, to poor districts in Riau-3.

This contest is held from 12 June to 12 September 2009.

The Hangover

Synopsis :

Doug (Justin Bartha) is about to be married, so his friends -- Stu (Ed Helms), a dentist planning on proposing to his girlfriend of three years, Phil (Bradley Cooper), a schoolteacher bored of the married life, and Doug's soon to be brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), who is smart yet socially-inept -- take him to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. Stu's girlfriend is very controlling, thereby forcing Stu to lie to her about their destination.

The guys get a suite at their hotel, then sneak on to the roof of the hotel and toast to the night ahead. Skipping forward to the next morning, the three groomsmen awake with no memory of the previous night. They find Doug missing, Stu missing a tooth, a tiger in the bathroom, and a baby in the closet. Initially they believe Doug to have gone out for breakfast, but soon worry when his cellphone has been left behind. They collect what memories they have to figure what happened to Doug. The valet brings them a police car, which they had dropped off the night before.

Because Phil is wearing a hospital bracelet, the guys head to the hospital. The doctor identifies roofies in their blood, and tells them that they had just come from a wedding. At the chapel, they learn that Stu had married a girl named Jade (Heather Graham). On the way to her place they're attacked by two Chinese thugs. They escape and find her, where she reveals she's a hooker and the baby is her's. Cops bust into her apartment to arrest the three men for stealing their car. However, not wanting to face the embarassment of losing their car, they work out a deal in which the men volunteer to demonstrate how tasers are used. Afterwards they pick up their car in good shape, though a Chinese man named Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), is locked in the trunk and attacks them upon his release. Alan admits to having drugged their drinks the night before, hoping they'd have a better time, but had been sold Roofies by accident.

They head back to the hotel to look for further evidence, but discover Mike Tyson instead, who is the owner of the tiger in their bathroom. He forces them to bring the tiger back to his place, and on the way there it destroys their car. After returning the tiger they're attacked again by Mr. Chow and his men. According to Chow, they'd mixed up bags the night before, and they were holding $80,000 of Chow's money. Chow demands it back in exchange for Doug, whom he has apparently captured. Unable to find the money, Alan decides to use his knowledge of counting cards to win the money in Blackjack. The money is returned, though Chow had captured a different Doug (Mike Epps), who was the dealer that had sold the Roofies to Alan.

Phil is in the middle of calling Doug's fiance to tell her they lost Doug, when Stu realizes where Doug is. The guys had seen a mattress flung from their hotel earlier, and Stu deduces that Doug is locked on the roof. They find him, sunburned but holding on to the $80,000. They rush back home and make it to the wedding just in time. Phil happily goes back to his family, whilst Stu breaks up with his girlfriend and arranges a date with Jade. Alan finds a camera they'd had with them, & together they look at the images from the night they'd forgotten.

Production Status: Released
Logline: Forty hours before the wedding, three friends lose the groom at his bachelor party.
Genres: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.
Release Date: June 5th, 2009 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.
U.S. Box Office: $104,768,489

Cast :
Bradley Cooper - Phil
Ed Helms - Stu
Zach Galifianakis - Alan
Heather Graham - Jade
Justin Bartha - Doug
Ken Jeong - Mr Chow
Sasha Barrese - Tracy
Bryan Callen - Eddie
Rachael Harris - Melissa
Jeffrey Tambor - Sid
Mike Tyson - Himself
Mike Epps - Black Doug
Jernard Burks - Leonard
Rob Riggle - Officer Franklin
Cleo King - Officer Garden
Matt Walsh - Dr Valsh
Ian Anthony Dale - Chow’s #1
Michael Li - Chow’s #2
Sondra Currie (II) - Linda
Gillian Vigman - Stephanie
Nathalie Fay - Lisa
Chuck Pacheco (II) - Hotel Guest at Valet
Jesse Erwin - Hotel Valet
Dan Finnerty - Wedding Singer
Todd Phillips - Mr Creepy
Mike Vallely - Neeco
James Martin Kelly - Police Clerk
Floyd Levine - Tailor
Chauntae Davis - Bridesmaid
Joe Alexander - Pit Boss
Katerina Moutsansou - Eddie’s Assistant
Faleolo Alailima - Tyson’s Bodyguard

2012 (2009)

The first epic and visually frightening teaser trailer for new disaster flick, “2012“, is now online. Disaster movie maven Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) crafts this apocalyptic sci-fi thriller following an academic researcher who opens a portal into a parallel universe, making contact with his double in an effort to prevent the catastrophic prophecies of the ancient Mayan calendar from coming to pass.

According to the Mayan calendar, the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. When a global cataclysm thrusts the world into chaos, divorced writer and father Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) uses his knowledge of the ancient prophecies to ensure that the human race is not completely wiped out.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt round out the cast of this end-of-the-world thriller co-scripted by the director and his 10,000 B.C. writer/composer, Harald Kloser. ~ Jason Buchanan.

Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller
Release Date: November 13th, 2009 (wide)
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Co.: Centropolis Entertainment, Mark Gordon Company
Studios: Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, United States, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Produced in: United States

Public Enemies (2009)

Public Enemies Synopsis :
In the action-thriller Public Enemies, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the incredible and true story of legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger (Depp), the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public. No one could stop Dillinger. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone, from his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard), to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression. But while the adventures of Dillinger's gang (later including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham)) thrilled many, Hoover (Billy Crudup) hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI". However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents), who were real gunfighters, and orchestrating epic betrayals, from the infamous "Lady in Red" to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti, were Purvis and the FBI able to close in on Dillinger.


Release Date: July 1, 2009
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Michael Mann
Screenwriter: Ronan Bennett, Michael Mann, Ann Biderman, Mark St. Germain
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Rory Cochrane, Stephen Lang, David Wenham, Stephen Graham, Channing Tatum, Jason Clarke
Genre: Action, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R (for gangster violence and some language)
Official Website: PublicEnemies.net

Chéri

Synopsis :
Set in the luxurious demi-world of pre-First World War Paris, Chéri is the story of the love affair between the beautiful retired courtesan Léa (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Chéri (Rupert Friend), the son of her old colleague and rival, Mme Poloux (Kathy Bates).

Léa has educated the spoilt and callow boy in the ways of love, but after six years Mme Pouloux has secretly arranged a marriage between Chéri and Edmée (Felicity Jones), daughter of another rich courtesan, Marie Laure (Iben Hjejle.)

As the inevitable moment of parting approaches, Léa and Chéri try to come to terms with their inevitable separation, but the roots of their life of ease and pleasure reach deeper than even they imagine and they begin to understand, too late, how much they mean to one another.

Release Date: June 26, 2009 (limited)
Studio: Miramax Films
Director: Stephen Frears
Screenwriter: Christopher Hampton
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates, Felicity Jones
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: R (for some sexual content and brief drug use)
Official Website: Cheri-movie.com

My Sister's Keeper

Sara and Brian Fitzgerald's life with their young son and their two-year-old daughter, Kate, is forever altered when they learn that Kate has leukemia. The parents' only hope is to conceive another child, specifically intended to save Kate's life. For some, such genetic engineering would raise both moral and ethical questions; for the Fitzgeralds, Sara in particular, there is no choice but to do whatever it takes to keep Kate alive. And what it takes is Anna.

Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) and Anna (Abigail Breslin) share a bond closer than most sisters: though Kate is older, she relies on her little sister--in fact, her life depends on Anna.

Throughout their young lives, the sisters endure various medical procedures and hospital stays--just another part of their close-knit family's otherwise normal life. Sara (Cameron Diaz), a loving wife and mother who left her career as an attorney to care for her daughter, is sometimes lost inside the single-minded caregiver she has become in her efforts to save Kate. Her strong, supportive husband, Brian (Jason Patric), is often rendered powerless and passive by his wife's strength and determination. And their only son, Jesse (Evan Ellingson), drifts, at times all but forgotten as Kate and Anna take center stage.

Until Anna, now 11, says "no." Seeking medical emancipation, she hires her own lawyer (Alec Baldwin), initiating a court case that divides the family and that could leave Kate's rapidly failing body in the hands of fate.

Based on the bestselling book from Jodi Picoult, "My Sister's Keeper" reveals surprising truths that challenge one's perceptions of family love and loyalty and give new meaning to the definition of healing.

Release Date: June 26, 2009
Studio: New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Screenwriter: Jeremy Leven, Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language and brief teen drinking)
Official Website: MySistersKeepermovie.com

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The battle for Earth has ended but the battle for the universe has just begun. After returning to Cybertron, Starscream assumes command of the Decepticons, and has decided to return to Earth with force. The Autobots believing that peace was possible finds out that Megatron's dead body has been stolen from the US Military by Skorpinox and revives him using his own spark. Now Megatron is back seeking revenge and with Starscream and more Decepticon reinforcements on the way, the Autobots with reinforcements of their own, may have more to deal with then meets the eye.

Release Date: June 24, 2009 (conventional theaters and IMAX)
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures (Paramount)
Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriter: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey, Ramon Rodriguez, Isabel Lucas, John Turturro
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material)
Official Website: Transformersmovie.com | MySpace.com/Transformers

Official New Moon Trailer and Poster Released!

Hey Twilight fans! The official New Moon Poster (Teaser) and Trailer is finally here! The first promotional poster of the Twilight Saga: New Moon was released last May 19, 2009. Today, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner revealed the film’s first trailer at the MTV Movie Awards. To all Twilight fans, we know you’ve been waiting for this for a long time! The New Moon Movie will be released on November 19, 2009 in New Zealand and November 20, 2009 in the United States (and hopefully around the globe)

Click here to download the full version of the New Moon Poster.

At Bella's 18th birthday party at the Cullens' house, she gets a paper cut, and Jasper attempts to attack her. The Cullens decide it would be better for Bella's safety if they left, so they get away from Forks, leaving Bella heartbroken. She finds solace in family friend Jacob Black, who incidentally is a werewolf. But before Edward left, he made Bella promise she wouldn't do anything reckless or stupid but, as he'd already broken his promise to 'be there for as long as she wanted him', she decides to break her promise.

She goes cliff-diving, which makes Edward think she has killed herself, although it was purely for recreational purposes. So Edward travels to Italy, to provoke the Volturi so they will kill him. Alice finds Bella, and they begin a race to the Italian city of Volterra to stop him.

Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller, Adaptation, Sequel and Teen
Release Date: November 20th, 2009 (wide)
Distributors: Summit Entertainment, LLC

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Chaske Spencer
Directed by: Chris Weitz

New Trailer Shown At MTV Movies Awards May 31st, 2009.



Download The Twilight Saga: New Moon Wallpaper

The final destination and now in 3D! (2009)

For final destination series fans out there, get ready for the next movie "The Final Destination" and now in 3D!

On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O'Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him.
When he comes out of this grisly nightmare Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave... escaping seconds before Nick's frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they've cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning.

As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one-in increasingly gruesome ways Nick must figure out how to cheat death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination.

Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres: Science Fiction/Fantasy and Suspense/Horror
Release Date: August 28th, 2009 (wide)
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Co.: Practical Pictures
Studios: New Line Cinema
Filming Locations:
New Orleans, Louisiana USA
Starring: Shantel VanSanten, Bobby Campo, Nick Zano, Krista Allen, Andrew Fiscella
Directed by: David Richard Ellis
Produced by: Craig Perry

Paramount Pictures Sends Star Trek Copy to the ISS

The new blockbuster movie Star Trek, which recently hit the big screen, and has already cashed in millions of dollars worldwide, has also been sent to astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. Paramount Pictures, the copyright owner for the new film, sent a copy of its work to the ISS Mission Control in Houston, which was then uplinked to orbit. NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt said that he planned to watch the movie on a laptop computer, inside the Unity module of the station.

“I remember watching the original ‘Star Trek’ series and, like many of my NASA coworkers, was inspired by the idea of people from all nations coming together to explore space. ‘Star Trek’ blended adventure, discovery, intelligence and story telling that assumes a positive future for humanity. The International Space Station is a real step in that direction, with many nations sharing in an adventure the world can be proud of,” the astronaut said of the movie copy Expedition 19 received.

Aside from the new film, there is an extensive collection of uplinked movies and DVDs aboard the ISS, either sent directly from the Mission Control, or carried to orbit by past shuttle mission crews. According to NASA, the library will remain aboard the station indefinitely, so that future expedition crews could enjoy it as well. Watching movies in the orbital lab is not a new activity, as former astronauts have literally seen hundreds of films, at some points as regular activities, on specific nights of the week.

In addition to movies, there are numerous other forms of entertainment aboard the ISS for astronauts to enjoy during their little spare time. A large collection of books and music CDs ensures that the psychological parameters of the ISS are taken care of. Experts say that the prolonged isolation in an unfamiliar environment, such as that of microgravity, can cause adverse mental health effects, and that making the astronauts feel a bit like home is essential for the success of their missions.

In addition to music and reading, there are a variety of fitness machines aboard the station, as well as board games, which make up pleasant ways of passing time together on the lab. Musical instruments are also used from time to time, when expedition members that can play them engage in short jam sessions, for their own amusement and that of colleagues down in Houston. At one point, Astronaut Greg Chamitoff played a game of chess with colleagues at the Mission Control, and the match was broadcast live, for the general public to see.

No ‘Trainspotting 2’ for Ewan McGregor

Fans can now see actor Ewan McGregor in “Angels & Demons,” which opened in US theaters yesterday. Unfortunately, those who still had any hope of seeing him in a sequel to the highly successful – and equally controversial – 1996 junkie-themed “Trainspotting,” might as well forget about it, since the actor makes it very clear that he’s not even remotely considering being a part of such a project.

In a brand new interview with MovieHole, McGregor tackles such topics as a sequel to the famous “Trainspotting,” as well as to the musical “Moulin Rouge,” which, although failing to impress movie critics, did score remarkably well with the public. It’s not so much that he’s not the type to get involved in sequels, the actor explains, as it is that, at this point in time, follow-ups to these two projects would simply make no sense.

“I don’t think I would, for several reasons.” McGregor says of the much-rumored sequel. “The first one is that I didn’t think the book was very good. The novel of ‘Trainspotting’ was quite fantastic, it was beautiful, quite moving and disturbing writing, and then I find that the sequel… […] it didn’t move me as much … […] And I thought I don’t want to make the same story again. And, also, I think just the idea of getting the cast together again 10 to 15 years later isn’t good enough, you need more than that. I wouldn’t want to damage ‘Trainspotting’’s reputation, because it was an amazing film and a very important film of its time, a very important film for me and … a very important film for British cinema. I wouldn’t want to leave people remembering a poor sequel rather than leaving its reputation where it sits at the moment, which is kind of a phenomenal film.” the actor further explains.

As for the possibility of doing a sequel to “Moulin Rouge” (which has also generated plenty of media attention since release), that isn’t going to happen either – as neither is a crossover into the music industry. The idea is that, as Ewan puts it, he’s pretty good at what he does and trying to make a name for himself in music would be, at this point, rather pointless, as well as possibly unsuccessful.

“No… I think it’s quite tricky for actors to release albums. It’s difficult, because I’m an actor, you know, I’m not a musician. I love singing, but I don’t have a big repertoire of songs that I’ve written; I mean, I’ve got a few, but nothing that I could fill an album with, and I don’t want to do it just for the sake of it. I don’t know, we’ll see. I certainly would be very happy to do another musical; I loved it. It would just have to be the right thing.” McGregor concludes by saying.

For the full promotional interview, please see here.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Movie Review

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” was meant to bring the story of the mutants full circle by returning to the one character who (arguably) made everyone stick together, and who was, at the same time, clearly one of the most beloved mutants ever created. The prequel should have explained how Wolverine controls his berserker rage, and how he grows into the dangerous X-Man with remarkable leader skills that we see in the successful trilogy. In all fairness, when Logan / Wolverine / Hugh Jackman lets rage take over him, the picture is not pretty – but that’s not to say the film itself manages to rise above the level of familiar competence, movie critics argue.

Understandably, X-Men and Wolverine fans will love this film, simply because it brings back on the big screen not one, but several beloved characters, including the all-powerful villain, now-silent but former-heartthrob Deadpool. Those who are not so easily sucked in by the mythology will notice from the first second that, if anything, “Wolverine” is just a mild attempt on Fox’s behalf to squeeze even the last drop of juice still remaining in the franchise – while also promising countless other sequels, spinoffs and whatnot. It’s a hurried movie that bits off more than it can chew, and the only things that hold it together are Hugh Jackman’s admirable efforts and performance.

Of course, that’s not to say that “Wolverine” is bad from start to finish, but it does imply that Fox should have thought twice before rushing into making such a film if it did not feel ready for it – just like fans were saying it would a while back. Comparisons with the leaked version are to be avoided when speaking of it, as hard as it may seem, but, even so, the film still appears like an unfinished version of a production we’ll never see. It’s either because the script tried to include more stories than it was feasible, or because director Gavin Hood fell a victim to his own well-learned vocabulary of special effects, but “Wolverine” comes short of that certain something, that je ne sais quoi that could have turned it into both a blockbuster at the box-office and a quality film, critics say.

Rewind to 1845. Logan is James, a sickly boy who accidentally murders his father, a man he did not even know that well, and who, this way, finds out about the existence of a half elder brother, Victor Creed aka Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber). The two run off together and, once their super-abilities are discovered and properly mastered, enlist their services with the army and fight other people’s battles. Even from the start, it becomes obvious that Logan, unlike Victor, is not the violent type: he may flex and howl and pack the meanest punch, but, deep down inside, all he wants to do is help others. Oppositely, Victor just wants to kill, cause bloodshed and basically beat to a pulp anyone weaker than him, which means just about everyone who crosses his path.

There is, of course, a devious army officer who schemes and plots, and orchestrates things to suit his agenda. Colonel Stryker (Danny Huston) deceives Logan into believing he’ll help him – but only after making him think he had taken something very precious from him –, and offers to make him indestructible. When the Frankenstein-like Wolverine emerges from the steaming bathtub, muscles ripped and dripping in the water necessary for the adamantium to be injected and cooled, he’s a man out for revenge. And revenge he’ll get, because he has to fight not one, but at least three villains – which is precisely why fans and critics alike were disappointed by the twisted, too complicated plotline.

The action scenes are, as expected, impressive but not because there really is some novelty to them or they carry any relevance to the main character, but rather because they’re used as dust in the eyes of the viewers, critics say. Since chances of Wolverine or Sabretooth being killed are slim to none, for instance, their confrontations become redundant since they lack finality and a specific sense of purpose, failing to show the evolution of the characters. The same goes for the other action sequences, which seem either too far-fetched – since the last “X-Men” movie, Wolverine has acquired a new ability, that of jumping really high in the air and tearing helicopter blades with his adamantium claws – or downright useless, with the mutants showing off their skills in a very blatant manner, when they could easily attack in “stealth” mode and be just as efficient.

Nevertheless, as noted above, none of this is the cast’s fault, all of the actors struggling to really make this heavy, unstructured material work. Jackman, as far as he’s concerned, seems to be the only thing keeping “Wolverine” from falling into the abyss where comic book-inspired movies go to die (where “Daredevil” is also to be found), as they say. Ryan Reynolds does his bit as well as Wade Wilson, a terribly charming and annoying skilled soldier who only lacks discipline.

Liev makes for a brilliant villain, having a certain sense of delightful menace about him that initially stuns his victims into not knowing whether they should run in fear or welcome him with open arms. Swift and insinuating, as well as extremely good-looking, Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau aka Gambit also puts on a great show, as do the other mutants. Should anyone think Fox killed “Wolverine,” they should at least know for a fact that it wasn’t because it hadn’t wonderful actors to work with – and an equally awesome story to match.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” runs 107 minutes, minus the Easter eggs at the end of the final credits. It opened in Argentina, Germany and France at the end of April, reached the US, Romania and Sweden on May 1, and will conclude its theatrical run in Japan, on August 22.

The Good

Fans of the comics should go to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” at least to see their favorite heroes and villains again, if not for the movie itself. Backed up by a strong and determined cast, as well as by certain fun and highly entertaining moments, “Wolverine” makes for a light way of passing almost two hours, but offers no guarantee as to it being a memorable experience as well.

The Bad

“Wolverine” falls short in many respects but the one that pains fans the most, critics argue, is the fact that it promised the world and delivered, well… nothing. Its complicated plotline, obvious use of special effects to mask shortcomings in the story, and the abundance of useless trivia make it one unsuccessful effort on behalf of Fox to continue cashing in on the mutant milk cow.

The Truth

The truth about “Wolverine,” it is being said, is that it should have not been made – or, at the very least, that it should have gone into more competent hands than those of director Hood and Fox high-ups. Without being downright painful to watch, “Wolverine” offers little to redeem itself in the eyes of the fans, with Jackman’s performance being among those few things. Fans will certainly see it, but whether they’ll also like it is a different matter altogether.

Swine Flu Forces Fox to Postpone ‘Wolverine’ Premiere

20th Century Fox has decided to play it safe under the given conditions and not expose anyone to unnecessary risks, by postponing the premiere of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in New Mexico, People magazine confirms. Otherwise, the movie would have certainly taken a hit at the box-office, as Mexican officials have warned people to stay indoors and all the major theater chains have been closed down.

The much expected premiere was supposed to take place this Friday, but has been pushed back to a yet undisclosed date. Given that the swine flu is an issue more serious than any movie premiere, the movie studio took this initiative both as a sign of regard and to protect all those involved in the production, who would have had to travel there to attend the opening festivities, as is customary in such cases.

“We were not only concerned about Hugh [Jackman]’s welfare – and we would never send anyone into harm’s way – but we also have an enormous office filled with people we care about. There was no point in proceeding under the current conditions.” a spokesperson for 20th Century Fox says for the mag. Another release date has not yet been set, and will probably not be so for yet another while, until authorities get the crisis under control.

Either way, Variety says, should Fox have gone ahead with the premiere, the film would have taken a serious hit at the box-office given that Mexican authorities are warning people to stay indoors, and all the major theater chains are being progressively shut down. “Scores of screens owned by exhibitors Cinepolis, Cinemex, Cinemas Lumiere and Cinemark have gone dark, and the remaining chains and indies are expected to follow suit. Cinepolis is also shutting theaters in the states of Mexico and San Luis Potosi. Cinemark and Cinemas Lumiere sites are closed until further notice, while others hope to reopen later this week depending on the situation.” Variety says.

As far as fans know right now, the “Wolverine” premiere in the US will presumably go as scheduled, meaning the movie will open in theaters nationwide also on Friday, May 1. However, keep an eye on this space in case anything changes.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an upcoming superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Wolverine, due for release on May 1, 2009. The film is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Hugh Jackman as the title character.

It is a prequel to the X-Men film trilogy, focusing on the mutant Wolverine and his time with Team X, before Wolverine's skeleton was bonded with the indestructible metal adamantium. The film was mostly shot in Australia and New Zealand.

Cast: Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth), Danny Huston (William Stryker), Lynn Collins (Silver Fox) and (we think) Ryan Reynolds (as Deadpool).
Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation

Release Date: May 1st, 2009 (wide)
Distributors: 20th Century Fox Distribution
Production Co.: Seed Productions, Donners Company, Marvel Studios
Studios: 20th Century Fox
Filming Locations: Australia, New Zealand, New Orleans, Louisiana USA
Produced in: United States

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The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber's ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, a criminal mastermind, leads a highly-armed gang of four, threatening to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour.

As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Brian Haley
Directed by: Tony Scott
Produced by: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch

Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres: Action/Adventure, Thriller, Crime/Gangster and Remake
Release Date: June 12th, 2009 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for violence and pervasive language.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Co.: Escape Artists
Studios: Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
Filming Locations: New York City, New York, Unietd States
Produced in: United States

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