Blake Shelton, soon to be seen back in his judge’s chair on The Voice, has just scored his seventh consecutive #1 hit with “Over.” It also marks his 12th number-one hit overall and helps keep alive his streak of debuting songs in the top 10.
According to Warner Bros Records, Shelton hasn’t had a release debut outside of the top 10 since 2007.
“Over” is the fourth song released off of his Red River Blue album, following “Drink On It,” “God Gave Me You,” and “Honey Bee” to the top of the charts.
Up next is the debut of his first Christmas album, Cheers, It’s Christmas. Set for release on October 2nd, the holiday-themed album will feature duets with Michael Bublé, Reba, and his mom, Dorothy Shackleford.
“I wanted my Christmas record to be a classic-sounding album, bigger than any genre,” said Shelton. “The recording process definitely took me out of my element and pushed me to really work through a lot of ideas. But in the end, what Scott Hendricks (producer) and I came up with is a classic Christmas record that I’m very proud of.”
Official Synopsis: Based on a true story, The Possession is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil.
Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Kyra Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.
[tabs style=”default” title=”‘The Possession’ Resources”] [tab title=”Cast”]
Jeffrey Dean Morgan – ‘Clyde’
Kyra Sedgwick – ‘Stephanie’
Madison Davenport – ‘Hannah’
Natasha Calis – ‘Em’
Grant Show – ‘Brett’
Matisyahu – ‘Tzadok’
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[tab title=”Trailer”]Click to View the Trailer
[/tab] [tab title=”Photos and Poster”]Click to View the Photos[/tab] [/tabs]
So, he hasn’t had a live-action box office hit in years, but that’s not stopping Spike TV from hosting the Eddie Murphy: One Night Only all-star comedy tribute this November. Spike’s special will celebrate Murphy’s 30 year career and will mark the first-ever televised tribute to the comedian/actor. According to Spike TV, the tribute will play homage to his “journey from a 15-year-old aspiring comedian, to the record-breaking Raw, which remains the highest grossing stand-up film of all time, to his indelible characters and impressions from Saturday Night Live such as Buckwheat, Gumby, Mr. Robinson and James Brown.”
The two hour special will feature Murphy’s co-stars from films including 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming To America, The Nutty Professor, Shrek, and Dreamgirls, as well as an appearance by Murphy himself.
“Eddie’s impact on comedy is immeasurable,” stated Casey Patterson, Executive Vice President of Event Production for Viacom Media Networks Entertainment Group. “At 19, he changed the face of sketch comedy forever on Saturday Night Live and within four years released 48 Hrs., Delirious, and Beverly Hills Cop making him one of the biggest stand-up and movie stars in the world, all before the age of 24 and he’s never stopped evolving, innovating and entertaining.”
Eddie Murphy: One Night Only will tape on November 3 and air on November 16th.
All good things do come to an end at some point. Pixar had a nice run of things until Cars 2 brought things to a screeching halt. MySpace seemed pretty popular until Facebook squashed it like a bug (still waiting on the next iteration of social networking). And Joseph Gordon-Levitt has had a ridiculously good run of films for a number of years since 2005’s Mysterious Skin with only minor hiccups along the way (I know G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra & Havoc are more than hiccups, but he was only a minor character in both).
Well, JGL’s run had to end sometime, and hopefully whatever paycheck he snagged during the course of Premium Rush will allow him to comfortably continue being involved in future independent and original films because he’s far too good of a talent to be wasted in such formulaic dreck. Have I shown my hand in this review too early? Allow me to go on.
Now, I was like many people who saw the trailer for this and said: “So it’s about a bike messenger on the run from some dude who wants his package” (minds out of the gutter people). This is the kind of premise that existed frequently in the ’80s and generally featured C-level talent with possibly one future star among them (BMX Bandits, Rad, Thrashin’). The ’90s even saw their attempt with such low-IQ fare with Airborne and Extreme Ops … holy crap, upon a fact-checking mission, I just learned Extreme Ops was 2002 … it’s a bigger heap of disaster than I remember.
In any case, with Premium Rush, my hope was that the inclusion of JGL as the non-conventional alpha dog with a specific set of skills pitted against Michael Shannon’s firm command on playing mentally unbalanced characters would elevate the film out of mediocrity; that maybe this was a case of the trailer being cut to look mainstream but the actual result was something actually interesting. Sadly, no luck there.
Really the only good thing that can be said about the whole affair is that Michael Shannon is great fun to watch in roles like these. His ability to be so convincingly unhinged is off the charts and without him working so hard to suppress the stink off of the screenplay, the 91 minutes that already felt like two hours would feel a lot longer.
Levitt is essentially completely wasted here, and I only wish I meant completely drunk. While he doesn’t appear to be terribly phoning it in, there’s just nothing in the script for him to hold onto. The character is almost less than one-dimensional and had you replaced him with Paul Walker, I don’t know how many people would have noticed. … Allow me to rephrase that, PAUL WALKER could have been cast in lieu of JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT and the WORLD would have kept spinning as it does. Ugh.
The rest of the supporting cast ranges from innocuous (Aasif Mandvi) to useless (Jamie Chung, Dania Ramirez). Really, all of them could have been replaced too. Mandvi at least has some screen presence but is in a very minor role. Chung adopted a thick Chinese accent not previously heard by the public that just made me giggle. And Ramirez has yet to do anything in other films to show she has much range so between that and the script, you might as well have cast Jessica Alba to go along with Paul Walker and called this Into the Pacific Blue (if you get that joke based on a a bad TV reference, give yourself +1 to awesomeness).
So I doubt it comes as any surprise that I wouldn’t recommend anyone ‘rush’ out or pay a ‘premium’ price for this broken-down mess of bicycle parts. Director David Koepp’s attempts to gussy up the proceedings by telling the backstory in a disjointed fashion only made the flimsiness of the project more evident and Premium Rush is lucky to avoid even more abuse. Had it not been for JGL propping up what he could and Shannon going all out, the only thing faster than the bike messengers would have been me headed out the theater door.
GRADE: D+
Premium Rush hits theaters on August 24, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action sequences and language.
Shot way, way back in 2008, Solomon Kane starring James Purefoy is finally released on VOD today (with a limited theatrical release set for September 28th). And in support of its VOD release, Radius/TWC has released a new poster for the epic action drama written and directed by Michael J. Bassett (Deathwatch).
The Plot:
CAPTAIN SOLOMON KANE is a brutally efficient 16th Century killing machine. Armed with his signature pistols, cutlass, and rapier, he and his men unleash their bloodlust as they fight for England in war after war on all continents.
As the story opens, Kane and his band of pillagers are carving a bloody path through hordes of defenders in an exotic city in northern Africa. But, when Kane decides to attack a mysterious nearby castle to plunder its rumored riches, his mission takes a fateful turn. One by one, Kane’s men are picked off by demonic creatures until he alone is left to face the Devil’s own Reaper — dispatched from the depths of Hell to lay claim to his hopelessly corrupt soul. Though Kane at last manages to escape, he knows that he now must redeem himself by renouncing violence and devoting himself wholly to a life of peace and purity.
His newfound spirituality, however, is quickly put to the ultimate test when he begins his journey across an England ravaged by diabolical human Raiders controlled by a terrifying, masked Overlord. After Kane fails to thwart the brutal slaughter of the Crowthorns, a Puritan family that has befriended him, he vows to find and free their enslaved daughter Meredith — even if it means jeopardizing his own soul by re-embracing his murderous talents for a higher cause. His determined search eventually brings him face to face with his family’s own deadly secrets as he attempts to save Meredith and all of England from the forces of evil.
Ryan Kwanten, Lucy Griffiths, Alexander Skarsgard and Rutina Wesley in 'True Blood' - Photo Courtesy of HBOReady or not, season five of HBO’s sexy vampire show True Blood is drawing to a close with the final episode set to air on August 26th. Russell’s after fairy blood, Jason’s done playing nice with vamps, Bill remains delusional, and Eric seems to be the sole voice of reason. Whoa…there’s a lot going on and only an hour to wrap up most of it.
Season 5 Finale – “Save Yourself”
The official synopsis: Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) embarks on a final, desperate mission to overthrow the Authority – and save Bill (Stephen Moyer) from losing his humanity. Andy (Chris Bauer) faces the consequences of a Light Pact he made; Alcide (Joe Manganiello) readies for a second showdown with J.D.; Sam (Sam Trammell) and Luna (Janina Gavankar) test their limits in trying to escape the Authority.
Edgar Ramírez in 'Libertador'San Mateo Films, Producciones Insurgentes, WMG Films, and Silver Screen Inc. just unveiled the first photo from Libertador, the largest independent production out of South America in history. This first pic features Edgar Ramirez in the Simon Bolivar biopic shot in Venezuelan locations including Llanos de Acarigua, Parque Nacional de Canaima, and Caracas, in addition to the Spanish cities of Jerez, Barbate, Zahara, Carmona, Sierra Nevada, and Madrid.
Libertador was directed by Alberto Arvelo from a script by Timothy Sexton (Children of Men). The cast also includes Maria Valverde, Danny Huston, Imanol Arias, and Gary Lewis.
The Plot:
Bolívar was instrumental in Latin America’s struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire, and is today considered one of the most influential politicians and emancipators in American history. Libertador is told from the viewpoint of Bolívar, about his quests and epic military campaigns, which covered twice the territory Alexander the Great conquered, and his vision to unify South America.
“From the start, I knew I didn’t want to make a film just about history, so I tried to move away from the paintings in the museums and cinema for historians, and really concentrate on the man behind the stories and who he really was as a person,” said director Arvelo.
Producer Ana Loehnert stated: “Bolívar was a true visionary, whose intricate and fascinating life story and legacy had never been brought to screen in the way he deserved. We have tried to do this approaching it also from a very personal and contemporary angle.”
Patton Oswalt and Johnny Knoxville in 'Nature Calls' - Photo Courtesy of Magnet ReleasingMagnet Releasing has picked up the North American distribution rights to the comedy movie Nature Calls from writer/director Todd Rohal (The Catechism Cataclysm). The comedy stars Patton Oswalt, Johnny Knoxville, Rob Riggle, Patrice O’Neal, Maura Tierney, and Darrell Hammond and was executive produced by David Gordon Green, David Bausch, Michael Clark and John Hodges.
Magnet’s planning a VOD release on October 4, 2012 followed by a theatrical release on November 9th.
Commenting on the acquisition, Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said, “Nature Calls holds its own with the best low-brow comedy classics. Well directed with a truly funny cast, this is going to be a late night favorite for years to come.”
Director Rohal added, “I’m thrilled to have our film welcomed into the collection of Magnolia films. They’re a company that continues to release films that shock and amaze me. It’s great to be a part of their world.”
The Plot:
Oswalt stars as Scoutmaster Randy Stevens, whose dwindling, apathetic troop ditches a scout meeting in favor of a TV-themed slumber party hosted by Randy’s brother Kirk (Knoxville), his polar opposite and arch nemesis. When Randy rounds up the boys in the middle of the night, stealing them for an highly unauthorized/unorganized trip to the woods, all hell breaks loose as Kirk pursues with a pair of gun-toting employees (Riggle and O’Neal). Drinking, nudity, mishandled fireworks and tremendously inappropriate behavior around minors ensues, in the grand tradition of comedy classics like The Bad News Bears and Meatballs.
“I need to get a haircut,” says Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson), a 28-year-old billionaire who’s about to go on the longest, strangest and most life-changing drives in history across Manhattan in director David Cronenberg’s dramatic film, Cosmopolis.
Set in the near future on perhaps the busiest day in New York City – and the worst day to try to travel across town – Packer conducts his errands and business in his luxurious limousine while only stepping out a few times. Those few times occur when he sees his new wife (played by Sarah Gadon) and tries to convince her to finally have sex with him, even while acknowledging their marriage is loveless and soulless. Constantly ending up in gridlock due the President of the United States being in town, as well as a funeral procession for a music legend, Packer keeps his eyes on the Chinese Yuan’s exchange rate which is mounting against all expectations and threatening Eric’s fortune and future. The possibility of losing his fortune still doesn’t prevent him from carrying on with business in his limo and from having his daily physical by one of his doctors.
Packer’s slowly growing state of paranoia begins to take hold as protestors and riots break out in the streets opposing the rich Wall Street elite of which Eric is the king. As his fortune tumbles and as it seems he may never reach his father’s old barber, it becomes clear to Packer that he just may be headed for his own assassination by a crazed, obsessed stalker.
Dark, foreboding, and weird, Cosmopolis is a moody, disjointed and choppy film which is in the same style as some of Cronenberg’s earlier and more forgettable movies (Naked Lunch, eXistenZ). Robert Pattinson delivers an adequate performance as the narcissistic, sex-obsessed, billionaire playboy whose paranoia slowly begins to take him down what might be the path to his destruction. Unfortunately for Pattinson, the film, and the audience, Eric’s a glossy, superficial character with no real depth and therefore uninteresting. The audience never has a chance to develop any real connection to Packer or any of the characters he interacts with during his odyssey for a haircut.
The film’s pacing is incredibly choppy and sporadic with no continuity, going from scene to scene with no flow or rhythm. This is definitely NOT Cronenberg’s best work and it just might be his weakest film to date.
Shallow, boring and bizarre, Cosmopolis – based on the critically acclaimed novel by Don DeLillo and adapted for the screen by Cronenberg – is a stylistic, tedious journey with a man who’s as empty, one-dimensional and pointless as the film’s script.
GRADE: D
Cosmopolis is rated R for some strong sexual content including graphic nudity, violence and language.
Dredd 3D writer/producer Alex Garland explains the ‘Slo-Mo’ drug central to the film by saying, “The idea was that if you lived in this tough place, Slo-Mo would give you moments of beauty and peace and tranquility. You take it and your brain just starts running at a fraction of its normal speed.” And, because of the slower camera speed, the film’s drug scenes actually look visually stunning.
In this behind-the-scenes clip, Dredd Concept Artist Jock, Lead Stereographer Vincent Toto, Digital Camera Supervisor Stefan Ciupek, Special Effects Supervisor Max Poolman, Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, and actor Karl Urban talk about the design and using the newest generation of the Phantom camera to deliver the Slo-Mo effect onscreen.
Watch the video
The Plot:
The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One- a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called “Judges” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd (Karl Urban) is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge – a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of “Slo-Mo” experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed.
During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture- a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her ruthless clan. When they capture one of the clan’s inner circle, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound’s control center and wages a dirty, vicious war against the Judges that proves she will stop at nothing to protect her empire. With the body count climbing and no way out, Dredd and Anderson must confront the odds and engage in the relentless battle for their survival.
The endlessly inventive mind of writer Alex Garland and director Pete Travis bring DREDD 3D to life as a futuristic neo-noir action film. Filmed in 3D with stunning slow motion photography sequences, the film returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra’s revered comic strip.
