Director Jim Mickle’s intense drama We Are What We Are will be screening at the Cannes Film Festival, but for those of us who can’t make it to France we can at least check out a new clip from the movie. Starring Julia Garner, Ambyr Childers, Michael Parks, Kelly McGillis, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell, and Jack Gore, We Are What We Are was co-written by Mickle and Damici who previously worked together on Mulberry Street and Stakeland.
The Plot:
In We Are What We Are, a re-imagining of the 2010 Mexican film of the same name, Jim Mickle paints a gripping and gruesome portrait of an introverted family struggling to keep their macabre traditions alive.
A seemingly wholesome and benevolent family, the Parkers have always kept to themselves, and for good reason. Behind closed doors, patriarch Frank (Bill Sage) rules his family with a rigorous ferver, determined to keep his ancestral customs intact at any cost. As a torrential rainstorm moves into the area, tragedy strikes and his daughters Iris (Childers) and Rose (Garner) are forced to assume responsibilities that extend beyond those of a typical family. As the unrelenting downpour continues to flood their small town, the local authorities begin to uncover clues that bring them closer to the secret that the Parkers have held closely for so many years.
“We always thought alien life would come from the stars, but it came from deep within the Pacific.”
Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi action film Pacific Rim has a new trailer in which gigantic monsters battle towering robots in a fight for the survival of humanity on Earth (the robots are on our side). Warner Bros just unleashed this new expanded 2 1/2 minute trailer that supplies a more detailed look at how humans actually command the robots as they take on the monsters bent on destroying our planet.
The Plot:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju.
On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes — a washed-up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) — who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Anne Heche stars in NBC's 'Save Me' (Photo by NBCUniversal)
Emmy nominee Anne Heche (Hung) stars as a wife and mother who has a near-death experience, is brought back to life, and now says she can talk to God in Save Me, a new comedy series from NBC. Premiering on May 23, 2013 at 8pm, the half-hour comedy show also stars Michael Landes, Alexandra Breckenridge, Madison Davenport, Heather Burns, and Joy Osmanski.
In support of the series’ upcoming debut, Heche participated in a conference call to chat about the series and let us know what audiences can expect.
You began your career with dramas, but recently you’ve done comedies like this and Hung. What interests you in comedy fare now?
Anne Heche: “You know what, nobody saw my bad soap acting. [Laughing] I think a lot of people laughed at that when I was 17. But I think I’ve always been drawn to making people giggle. I’ve been lucky because I’ve been able to do so many different things in so many different mediums, you know? And I guess when I went to Broadway with Alec Baldwin, and I was – I did Twentieth Century, I just fell in love with physical comedy.
You cannot get more pleasure, I don’t think, than throwing yourself up against a wall and listening to an audience just cackle with laughter. And I guess I kind of set out to make more of those opportunities happen for myself, for sure. And Save Me has fallen into that desire to make people giggle.”
And speaking of your soap opera work, can you remember your feelings back then about the career that you’ve gone on to have? Did you ever imagine you would work consistently as you have?
Anne Heche: “Oh my gosh, no. I mean, no. I tried to quit acting after I stopped that job, and I wanted to go to Parsons School of Design. I never thought in a million years that anybody would continue to hire me as an actress. And when I was getting ready to go – I paid my first tuition and everything – and then I got a call asking if I wanted to go and audition for O Pioneers!, a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.
I got it and then was like, ‘Well…,’ and this is so funny because it does dovetail kind of perfectly into Save Me, because I thought, ‘I must be getting a message from God. I must be. I mean, come on. Somebody’s hiring me to go work with Jessica Lange? I better do this.’ And so I didn’t go to Parsons School of Design and I haven’t stopped working since.
So, you know, God does dictate some things in our life, I guess.”
So you believe in messages from God then, like in the show?
Anne Heche: “Well, you know, I think we all get messages. I think sometimes we’re more in tune to it than others. And like Beth in my show, I probably misinterpret messages often. And I’m going down trippy, windy roads trying to find out if I’ve interpreted them correctly. I’m sure we all do that. It’s part of what I love about the show. We look for signs, we look for messages. Sometimes it comes in a book, sometimes it comes in the stars, and we try to figure out how to make our lives work. And that’s all Beth has really tried to do. She doesn’t always do it elegantly, and certainly neither have I, so I relate.”
What attracted you to the script in the first place? What made you say you had to do this?
Anne Heche: “Well, I think it goes along the lines of what I’ve been saying. You know, I believe that we get second chances in life. And Beth, my character, is in a situation; she’s an Ohio housewife; I’m from Ohio. That’s kind of the first of many things that Beth and I have in common. But she’s a housewife and she hasn’t done it very well. She’s not a great mom, she’s not a great wife, she drinks too much, she plays too hard, and she hasn’t really been responsible.
And by the time we come in to meet her, and she’s choking on a hoagie, her life isn’t great. And she gets a second chance to do it again. I love that because I’ve been so blessed with many chances in my life that I get really excited by being able to play women that get to do it all again, you know? So, you know, I like that.
I also like that I think that we do come to points in our life where we need something to believe in. Whether or not we believe – or wherever we get our strength from – I think we have so much courage, everybody, to walk through this life and try to make it right. And that’s really all Beth is trying to do. She wants to do it right and she wants to make people happy along the way. I like that. She’s a really positive person. This connection that she has with God has filled her with the joy of life and she wants to give it to everybody like a gift.
Sometimes when you have that big of a gift, sometimes people don’t want it. So it doesn’t always work out perfectly for her, but she is really trying to figure it out in a positive way. And I love all that about her. And she’s a goofball. She’s a total goofball, and so am I, so I love that I get to make people giggle.”
What do you find the most challenging about playing Beth?
Anne Heche: “You know humor, for me anyway, I always want it to be something that people understand and can relate to. When you’re playing a person who talks to God, you want to be sure that people believe that’s actually really happening. So that’s kind of the balance that we’re trying to strike all the time in the show, that you really believe in Beth, that it’s not so far in a realm that we don’t understand. She’s a girl just like us. It’s not really difficult to do that, but that’s what we wanted to do. We want to stay grounded, too.”
Did you have to do anything to prepare for playing Beth?
Anne Heche: “Let’s see, what did I do? Well in the pilot, you know, Beth is kind of a slob when we first meet her. Before Beth gets filled with God, she’s kind of a slob and a drunk and everything. So in the pilot, for the first time she decides to get herself together and go out and start running. And I remember thinking, ‘I wonder how God feels in your body?’ You know, ‘What would it feel like if all of a sudden God started walking around in your body?’
So I went into Hancock Park, which is where I live in Los Angeles, and I went to a gorgeous street that looked like the street where we were going to shoot, that kind of looked like Cincinnati. I remember putting on earphones and I looked all around and was really hoping that nobody was watching me, and I started feeling what it would feel like.
Like, ‘What would it feel like if all of a sudden I was just filled with God?’ And so I started running down the street and I was jumping and doing jumping jacks and shaking my leg and doing all of this goofy stuff. I looked over and there was like two dogs and two people with their heads tilted like, ‘What is in that girl? What is that about?’ And I realized that I had figured it out, that this character needs to be filled in her body all the time.
So my work that I prepped for started there. Just, ‘What does it feel like to feel that good? What would it feel like if I knew that I was going to be okay?’ Which is really what I feel like God is to Beth, an answer that everything’s going to be okay for her, that she’s going to make it, she’s going to live, she’s going to reconnect with her daughter, she’s going to reconnect with her husband, her friends, everything’s going to be okay. And so that’s the feeling that I have when I’m working on her.”
How easy was it to bond with your fellow cast members?
Anne Heche: “My gosh, they’re like my family. They’re just the most super-duper people. My daughter…I adore Madison [Davenport]. From the time she came in to audition with us it was like she calls me her second mom. Her mom is adorable and I love her mom, but I’ve basically adopted her. My friends are just the most darling group of supportive actors. And Michael Landes is the best TV husband you could hope for. We have a terrific time.”
Anne Heche as Beth in 'Save Me' (Photo by: Michael Desmond/NBC)
Have you learned anything about yourself from playing Beth?
Anne Heche: “That I am more of a dope than I ever have imagined. I like making people laugh. I mean people say to me on the set, ‘Man, you will do anything.’
I won’t tell you what the episode is, but we do move toward a place where Beth takes in the messages from God and she is really, she is on her deathbed, again. She believes that she has to do something and her family says, ‘You know what? If you’re going to go this far, like – this is it, this is enough – I’m leaving. You can not be this person. I’m leaving you.’ And even in the rejection of her family she believes in God, she believes God is telling her something to do. And I will tell you, I got down on my knees.
This path of, which is the hilarity about Beth, the path that she goes on leads her to a place where she ends up in the mud eating the dirt off the ground and shoving it in her face in front of television cameras to prove something to her friends. And after I did it, you know, they yelled cut and it was so disgusting.
Actually, my son was there watching because I knew that he just loves when I make a fool out of myself. So he was there just barfing. He’s like, ‘Oh no you did not do that!'” The director said, ‘You know what, Anne? You will do anything to make people laugh, won’t you?’ And that’s kind of what I’ve learned: that I will go [and] I will eat mud. I will eat mud if it’s funny.”
Besides making people laugh, what do you hope people take away from the show?
Anne Heche: “You know, that we can feel good and make people feel good and that we can find hope in our day. God is something that I have confronted, questioned, dealt with, looked at, experienced, rejected, embraced my whole life. I’ve had a give-and-take with this God identity, and I think everybody has. I think everybody talks to God sometimes. I think everybody tries to figure God out. I think we all would love to have a helping hand. I think we would all like to trust that we’re being taken care of, that life means something.
And this is a story about a woman who’s dealing with that every single moment of her life and wanting the best for everybody, and wanting to use that experience of God to help people. So I hope that people feel like God’s out there helping them out. You know, that we’re here for each other, because that’s all we’ve got.
If you can find God in a friend, if you can find God in a smile of a stranger, it’s here, you know? It’s here. We’re here to help each other out. And I hope people feel that from the show, even if it’s to make people laugh, you know? Who’s to say that laughter isn’t God?”
You’ve done series TV before, so at this point, how easy or difficult is it for you to say yes to committing to a show?
Anne Heche: “Oh my God, well ‘yes’ is the easiest answer I have. Like, ‘What? You want me to be on TV? Sure.’ I love it. I mean at this point in my life I find it so extraordinary that people are still asking me to be on TV. It amazes me sometimes because I go, ‘Wow, you want me to go be in this show that I think is so hilarious and so awesome?’ And I mean I think I’m amazed that people keep coming up with new ideas, let alone new ideas that they want me to be in.
But I love to work. I mean, I guess if I could have shaped a show or an idea or a sense of humor for myself, I would have come up with this. I did not create this show for myself but I’m happy and thrilled that I’m a producer on it. So when NBC approached me about it I was like I just couldn’t believe it. The blessings of my life are extraordinary, and this is one that I’m thrilled that they asked me to do.”
And following up on that, how easy is it for you while working on a series to keep the character fresh when you’re going back to it season after season, as opposed to working on a feature film?
Anne Heche: “Well, I would love to be able to tell you in three years what it feels like to be keeping it fresh. Right now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that I get a second season. I feel like we haven’t even begun to tap into what Beth’s life is and what will happen to her with this extraordinary thing that she has going on in her life. I mean, because of the subject matter, because Beth talks to God, it just is kind of endless. I think Darlene Hunt and I are…we’ve just done six or seven episodes really, so we just think that the possibilities are endless.
I can’t imagine getting tired of what that journey is because the show is like starting at the beginning of somebody’s life, but as an adult, you know? So it would be really hard for that not to be fresh, to me. [Laughing] But you know, talk to me in seven years. I can’t wait! I mean please, I hope we’re having this conversation and I’m like, ‘I’m so bored with her. I’m so bored with this God topic.’ I mean it has fascinated people for millions of years, you know, so I think we’ve got a lot of stories that we could tell.”
Can you describe Beth in three words?
Anne Heche: “Enthusiastic, goofy and loving.”
Do you have a specific moment or scene that you’ve filmed that is your favorite so far?
Anne Heche: “I mean, I have to tell you it’s so fun because I go back and forth in time. See, Beth finds God, right, or God finds Beth as she’s about to die, but we keep going back in time and seeing what we call ‘Bad Beth’. So the Bad Beth stuff that I get to do is so outrageous because I am always playing a plastered drunk, usually most of the time, and making an absolute ass out of myself.
The hilarious thing about Beth is that she makes an ass out of herself in the past, and she makes an equal ass out of herself in the present. So what’s really funny is that she’s been saved, except she has no idea what to do with the information that God is giving her so she becomes an absolute fool. Her enthusiasm and her trust in God makes her an utter fool, equal to the amount to the Bad Beth that she was, so she confuses people the same in her present life as she did in her past. So I get to do some really funny, ridiculous stuff.
But Beth does get to meet God and when she does, the day that Beth met God in the show was one of the most amazing moments for me shooting. I could not believe it happened, and the person playing God was somebody that I had wanted to meet. And I literally begged this person to do it. I wanted this to happen so badly, and it did – and I cannot tell you who it is – but I was so thrilled and everybody on the set was so thrilled. It was a very, very magical moment, the day I met God.”
Check into this Google+ Hangout featuring Star Trek Into Darkness cast members Chris Pine, Alice Eve, and John Cho, writer/producer Damon Lindelof, and NASA astronauts as they discuss space…the final frontier…and the new Star Trek film. They’ll be discussing the intersection between “the fiction of Star Trek and the reality of NASA’s current programs.”
And once you’re done watching out the Google+ Q&A, check out astronaut Chris Handler’s take on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity:” An Out-of-this-World Music Video
Watch the video:
Star Trek Into Darkness Plot:
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice.
As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.
Jessica St. Clair as Emma and Lennon Parham as Maggie in 'Playing House' (Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/USA Network)USA Network is moving forward with its first original half-hour comedies, greenlighting new shows Sirens, Playing House, and Love is Dead. The new series are all set to debut early next year.
“This is the right time to be introducing half hour original comedies to the USA audience. With Modern Family joining our line-up in the fall, we can leverage television’s most popular comedy to serve as a powerful launch pad for new originals in this genre,” stated Chris McCumber, Co-President of USA Network.
“Our new series come from some of the best comedic talent in the business, and reflect USA’s style – with great characters, strong execution and compelling storytelling,” added Jeff Wachtel, Co-President of USA Network.
Details on the New Series:
SIRENS
From the distinct comedic point of view of Denis Leary and Bob Fisher, SIRENS follows three of Chicago’s best EMTs whose sometimes silly, self-righteous and even self-destructive personalities make them unqualified for sustaining relationships, friendships and most occupations. They are, however, uniquely qualified for saving anyone who winds up in their ambulance. Based on a UK format, SIRENS stars Michael Mosley (Pan Am), Kevin Daniels (Modern Family), Jessica McNamee (The Vow) and Kevin Bigley (Game Change). Leary and Fisher co-wrote the pilot and both executive produce the series. Jim Serpico (Rescue Me) of Apostle, and Hal Vogel, David Aukin (Hyde Park on Hudson), and David Leach of Daybreak Pictures also executive produce. Filmed on location in Chicago, the series is from Apostle and Fox Television Studios, in conjunction with Daybreak Pictures.
PLAYING HOUSE PLAYING HOUSE is a single-camera buddy comedy about what happens when two best friends come back together, just when they need each other most. The original half-hour series is inspired by the ultra-close friendship between Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham. In PLAYING HOUSE, when mother to-be Maggie (Parham) asks her single and career-driven best friend Emma (St. Clair) to return home from her job overseas to attend her baby shower, she has no idea what’s truly in store. Parham and St. Clair co-wrote the presentation and will executive produce the series along with Scot Armstrong (The Hangover: Part II, Old School) and Ravi Nandan (Best Friends Forever, Animal Practice) of American Work. The series is from Universal Cable Productions and American Work.
LOVE IS DEAD LOVE IS DEAD (pilot order): This single-camera comedy is set at a unique company that specializes in breaking-up romantic relationships — rationally, compassionately, thoroughly — on behalf of those who are willing to pay to not be around when it happens. It’s the unconventional romantic comedy that asks: “Why, if love is so fickle, do we keep coming back for more?” Written and executive produced by Zev Borow (Chuck), the pilot is from Universal Cable Productions and Gaumont International Television. Katie O’Connell, Elisa Roth, Sidonie Dumas and Christophe Riandee executive produce for Gaumont International Television. The pilot is based on the award-winning French short film of the same name, written and directed by Eric Capitaine and produced by Carole Lambert and Carine Ruszniewski of De Films Aiguille.
Grammy-winner/fashion designer Pharrell Williams has signed up to serve as a mentor on Style’s new reality competition series, Styled to Rock. The new show is executive produced by Rihanna and will premiere later this year.
12 designers will be competing for the top prize during the 10 episode first season.
“We are delighted to have Pharrell, who is a driving force in both the music industry and fashion world, serve as a mentor on Styled to Rock,” stated Salaam Coleman Smith, President, Style Media. “Pharrell’s unique aesthetic and commitment to individuality combined with Rihanna’s vision for this series will enable our aspiring designers to hone their craft and learn from the very people who set the trends.”
The Details on Styled to Rock:
Styled to Rock will give 12 up-and-coming designers the coveted opportunity to dress some of the biggest names in entertainment. Each week, challenges will push the designers to their creative limits when they are tasked with styling an A-list star. The celebrity guest-of-the-week will decide which designer best achieves their vision – and advances to the next level of competition. Faced with the threat of elimination, the remaining designers must meet with the three mentors to discuss where they fell short and ultimately, who will be sent home. In the end, one designer will be named the winner of Styled to Rock.
Jennifer Lopez - Photo Credit: nuvoTVSinger and occasional actress Jennifer Lopez is adding another job title to her resume. Lopez is now the Chief Creative Officer at nuvoTV, an English-language cable network aimed at the US Latino market. According to the official announcement, nuvoTV will be expanding its lineup as well as changing up its look.
“Latinos are a force in this country. We are an engine for growth – we have huge economic power and unprecedented political and cultural influence and it’s time for television to reflect who the modern Latino actually is – not who we are believed to be – not who we may have been – but who we are now,” stated Jennifer Lopez.
In the new position, Lopez is working closely with nuvoTV’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Schwimmer, Head of Programming Bill Hilary, and Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales Craig Geller on the network’s programming lineup and how best to serve the target audience.
nuvoTV Programming:
JENNIFER LOPEZ BIOGRAPHY SPECIAL (working title)
Kicking off the programming announcements was the JENNIFER LOPEZ BIOGRAPHY SPECIAL (working title), an exclusive 90-minute marquee event with unprecedented intimate access into the personal life and career of this inspiring artist and powerhouse entrepreneur, with Jennifer Lopez acting as Executive Producer and Nuyorican Productions leading production.
GOTTA DANCE
A never seen before behind-the-scenes look at the lives of professional back-up dancers on world tour with global icon and entertainer, Jennifer Lopez. This docu-series follows the journey of eight professional dancers performing night after night, across the continents, giving it their all, falling in love, dealing with injury, as they pursue their ultimate passion for dance.
RODNEY’S JOY
A docu-series featuring Grammy award-winning producer, Rodney “Dark Child” Jerkins, producer for some of today’s hottest stars (Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Rhianna and many others), who is married to Joy Enriquez, a Mexican American former pop-star who put her promising career on hold to raise a family. Now, Rodney is tasked with the challenge of reigniting his wife’s music career as he balances life with Joy’s extended family, all living under one roof.
ORIBE
Docu-series set in the Latin style mecca of Miami, showcasing the life and times of controversial Cuban-American celebrity hairstylist Oribe Canales. Oribe’s legendary career has spanned decades and caused sensational success for such clients as Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Gianni Versace, Heidi Klum, and Karl Lagerfeld.
ANJELAH JOHNSON – The Homecoming Show
A hilarious, exclusive, one-hour comedy special featuring comedian, actress and YouTube sensation Anjelah Johnson of Bon Qui Qui and “Nail Salon” fame.
STAND UP AND DELIVER
Side-splitting comedy program showcasing current, top Latino comics, hosted by Julissa Bermudez and Jose Sarduy. The half-hour show will feature Dillon Garcia, Richard Villa, Simply Cookie, Alfred Robles and many more.
MARIO LOPEZ: One-on-One
Hollywoodinsider interview format show featuring a broad array of influential Latino superstars. Mario sits down with good friend Eva Longoria along with comedian George Lopez; international singing sensation and icon, Gloria Estefan; music artists Pepe Aguilar and Juanes, as well as other revered Latino figures.
Chris Pine is Kirk and Zachary Quinto is Spock in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.
It’s not a really well kept secret what J.J. Abrams and company were planning to do with the sequel to their successful reboot of the Star Trek movie franchise. If there’s one movie in the canon that stands out and has engendered both more parody and more devotion than any of the others in the series, it’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
I won’t go spoiling what elements have been kept, what were changed, and what went out the airlock door. Suffice to say, if you know that film, you’re going to connect to a lot of what’s on display here in Star Trek Into Darkness. There are also a number of other references to the universe that Gene Roddenberry created which fans of the original series will pick up on. However, once again, Abrams and the screenwriters have managed to make a movie that doesn’t rely on audiences knowing any of those previous works.
Like the reboot in 2009, all of the information one needs to know is on the screen. Trekkies will either be delighted to see certain elements touched upon or frustrated at how they were included, but for the large majority of the audience which will undoubtedly stuff theaters this weekend, being relatively new to the material won’t decrease the entertainment factor. And if there’s one thing J.J. Abrams knows how to do, it’s to create an entertaining blockbuster.
Perhaps it stems from his hero worship of Steven Spielberg or simply being a product of a generation that saw the summer blockbuster develop into a genre of its own (in large part due to Spielberg and films of his like Jaws). But whatever the reason, Abrams understands the basic beats necessary to keep audiences engaged and does just enough development to make the characters relatable but shuns the notion of stopping the action so much that it creates a disconnect. To be blunt, his filmmaking is simple, direct, and aimed at a broad demographic. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but this isn’t the kind of intimate storytelling that cries out for attention when the awards season hits.
With the second installment in the new timeline established by the reboot, the crew of the USS Enterprise is tasked once again with beating what seems like insurmountable odds. To that end, Abrams has managed to do something very few franchises manage to do: make the sophomore effort better than the first. It’s just one of many, many, many parallels between this and The Wrath of Khan but the reason for it is immediately obvious. Whereas 2009’s reboot was an origin story, none of that exposition is needed here. The crew literally hits the ground running from the start, and if it weren’t for so many wonderful chairs for people to sit in, it’s likely the movie would have just kept going and going like some battery-powered bunny.
The returning cast have all settled into their roles and are still just as fun to watch as they were 4 years ago. The newcomers are welcome additions as well. Alice Eve is anything but hard on the eyes, Peter Weller was both Buckaroo f’ing Banzai and Robocop for Pete’s sake, and Benedict Cumberbatch has been killing it as the new Sherlock Holmes on BBC. Cumberbatch especially shines here, not simply because he has the most screen time of the three, but because he does such a wonderful job of creating characters that are so driven and focused that they become obsessed with their goals; exhibiting both a disciplined physicality and keen intellect in the process.
To no surprise, if there’s a downfall to giving Abrams a director’s chair, it’s his pathological fascination with lens flares. Simply for giggles and because I’m that kind of guy, I took in a handheld counter and clicked off whenever a new shot contained a lens flare. Somehow that figure here is 293 … TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-THREE!
Still, aside from that quirk to his style, I enjoyed every minute of Star Trek Into Darkness. Some of the homages were a bit too on the mark, but the production value, the cast, and even Michael Giacchino’s incessant score kept the pace moving and the two-plus hours zoomed by at warp speed (ow, my side!). This is exactly what I want out of a big-budget film event and taken at that level, this is one of the few sure-fire hits of 2013. You can even watch this in 3D if you like. Sure, it’s a 3D conversion, and you certainly don’t need it, but it’s one of the better conversions so it’s not a complete waste of your money. Unless you have an axe to grind with how the Star Trek universe has been re-sculpted by Abrams, look down upon these popcorn-friendly blockbusters, or just can’t stand sci-fi movies, you’ll find this second trip on the new Enterprise a lot of fun. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
GRADE: A-
Star Trek Into Darkness opens in theaters on May 16, 2013 and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
So, what do you think? This latest poster from Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire features our favorite Tribute, Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence), standing on a mountain/hill/cliff/some high point clutching her trademark bow and arrows.
Coming to theaters on November 22, 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence and stars Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, and Jena Malone.
The Plot:
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire begins as Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a ‘Victor’s Tour’ of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow (Donald Sutherland) prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.
“No one lives forever” – but would they really kill one of the main characters from the book series? Of course they would, but I don’t think Bill Compton (played by Stephen Moyer) would be a wise choice to kill off given the continuing strength/passion of Team Bill fan club members. Nor would it be a good decision ratings-wise to stake Eric Northman (played by Alexander Skarsgard) who has an equally passionate fan base. True Blood viewers might get a little upset if either sexy vampire met the true death.
Whoever it is that the poster’s referring to won’t be known until season 6 unfolds beginning June 16, 2013.
Grammy-winner/fashion designer Pharrell Williams has signed up to serve as a mentor on Style’s new reality competition series, 
