Director Ridley Scott and writer Damon Lindelof discuss the basis for the story of Prometheus in this behind-the-scenes look at Scott’s return to the sci-fi genre. Who are we and where did we come from are the key questions explored in Prometheus, and Scott says in the featurette that it’s fundamentally based on feasibility.
Prometheus stars Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce and Logan Marshall-Green. 20th Century Fox is releasing Prometheus on June 8, 2012.
Watch the video:
The Plot:
Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define. With Prometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Charlize Theron stars in 'Prometheus' - Photo by 20th Century Fox
Goth. Goth. Goth. Johnny Depp. Goth. Goth. Goth. Helena Bonham Carter. Goth. Goth. Goth. Danny Elfman.
What Tim Burton movie am I talking about? What Tim Burton movie am I NOT talking about?
In this particular case, the subject matter is Dark Shadows. Based (ever so loosely) on the TV series, Burton clearly was a fan of the show. To show his love, he essentially made a movie with his usual cohorts, made sure it felt like Charlie & the Chocolate Factory meets Corpse Bride with a fair sprinkling of Sleepy Hollow thrown in – and then scribbled in some character names and details after the fact.
Although I’ve only seen a handful of original episodes, the genres are miles apart and this is yet another adaptation that could best be described as baffling. You love the source material, and yet you alter it so as to be almost unrecognizable to its fan base? What’s the point? Why not just ask to do some commentary on the recently released DVD box set and call it a day?
Then there’s the continued collaboration between Burton, Depp, Carter (and Elfman). The world gets it. You all like each other. While there are a number of folks happy to see you repeat the same character dynamics over and over and over again, at some point, it’d be nice to see some variation to the formula. Isn’t it enough to go to dinner with each other now and again? I hear Depp has a nice place in France you can visit.
Now sure, this review clearly isn’t of the positive persuasion, but before anyone interested in seeing this film plunks down their $53 at the box office, there’s one key thing I want to make sure you know. You’ve seen the trailer, right? Isn’t it just so adorable seeing Depp play an awkward character out of his particular element (in this case, the 200-year fish out of water cliché). Well, I hope you don’t expect any laughs to keep going when you get to the theater.
While the trailer makes this out to be some offbeat comedy, 90% of the jokes have already been shown. Worse still, although this carries a PG-13 rating, the sexual and violent themes have a much more adult-oriented feel. The marketing is hoping their net will catch the same wide demographic that Alice in Wonderland received, but it’s all a smoke-screen when you sit down to figure out who the true demo should be: only the diehard Tim Burton fans. Anyone else is better off saving their cash for laundry, tollbooths, and cappuccinos.
Putting aside all of the typical Burton-esque touches, there’s the fundamental problem of the movie being boring and plodding along its predictable path to its perfunctory conclusion. The only unexpected element comes from a revelation regarding Chloë Grace Moretz’s character … and it’s only unexpected because it makes NO SENSE and does NOTHING to help ANYTHING (no, the caps lock button is not having problems).
In any case, Tim Burton appears to remain stuck in goth neutral. Aside from 2003’s Big Fish, his best days were in the last millennium (when his skewed perspective didn’t feel like a Hot Topic t-shirt). Dark Shadows merely continues a string of uninspired work. If it were just the problem of repeating the same things with the same people, this would merely be another forgettable nothing that will probably earn far more than it deserves. That the movie is such a scattered and lackluster mess makes it slightly more memorable … just not in a good way.
GRADE: D+
Dark Shadows hits theaters on May 11, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for comic horror violence, sexual content, some drug use, language and smoking.
On Thursday, May 10, 2012, Universal Studios Japan, Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & resorts announced that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Japan in late 2014. James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) joined Harry Potter fans for the announcement. (PRNewsFoto/Warner Bros./Universal Studios Japan)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is branching out to Japan, with Universal Studios Japan, Warner Bros and Universal Parks & Resorts announcing they’re ready to expand the Hogwarts world.
Harry Potter fans in costume were on hand at the announcement to cheer the news and see James and Oliver Phelps – Fred and George Weasley in the film series – help reveal the news. And as with the Wizarding World theme park in Orlando, Florida, the new park will “faithfully and authentically bring to life the stories created by J.K. Rowling in her books and captured on screen in Warner Bros’ films.”
Author Rowling commented on the new park: “I was delighted to experience and enjoy the attention to detail, creativity and superb craft that went into the first Wizarding World in Orlando. I am equally delighted that the same level of expertise and enjoyment will translate to the new park in Japan.”
“Harry Potter, the most wonderful and amazing story of our time, is coming to Universal Studios Japan. USJ is thrilled to be chosen to make the Harry Potter experience come alive for the people of Japan. USJ is committed to being the world’s best Theme Park and by bringing this brilliant story to Japan and creating a fantastic experience is yet another validation of that commitment,” stated Glenn Gumpel, President and CEO of USJ Co., Ltd. “USJ will recreate to the highest level of authenticity, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, created by Universal Studios in Orlando, which has been enjoyed and cherished by millions and millions of Universal Orlando’s guests. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – USJ’s commitment to bring the world’s best to life.”
Source: Universal Studios Japan, Universal Parks & Resorts, Warner Bros. Entertainment
If you catch yourself singing this song, you better be either by yourself or in adult company. Featured in the first trailer for what looks to be one of the best comedies of 2012, the “Thunder Song” from Ted is a nifty little R-rated tune. The lyrics are included at the end of this post, but here’s more info on the film first:
Ted‘s Plot
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted. In the live-action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish…and has refused to leave his side ever since.
And the words to the “Thunder Song:”
“When you hear the sound of thunder, don’t you get too scared.
Just grab your thunder buddy and say these magic words:
F*-k you thunder, you can suck my d*-k.
You can’t get me thunder, cause you’re just God’s farts.”
The third season of Community, starring Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong and Chevy Chase, finishes up on May 17th.
NBC also recently renewed 30 Rock for a 13 episode seventh season, which will be that show’s last.
Carrie Underwood’s fourth album, Blown Away, enters the Billboard 200 at number 1. According to Billboard and Nielsen SoundScan, the American Idol winner/Grammy winner’s Blown Away has already sold 267,000 units, making it her third album in a row to debut in the top spot.
Billboard also reports Underwood’s Blown Away had the 2nd biggest debut of any 2012 release, following only Madonna’s MDNA.
TBS has given the go-ahead to Deon Cole’s Black Box and Who Gets the Last Laugh?, two new comedies coming to the network in 2013. TBS has ordered six episode’s of CONAN writer/performer Dean Cole’s comedy which will find Cole providing his own take on “some of the most outrageous video clips to pop up across the media landscape. Cole brings a truly unique point of view to his commentary as he uses clips to riff on racial and gender stereotypes, politics and more.”
Who Gets the Last Laugh?, developed by Jason Goldberg and Ashton Kutcher, has been given a nine episode first season order. Per TBS: “Who Gets the Last Laugh? (working title) puts a new twist on the comedy format by pitting two comedians against each other in the ultimate prank challenge. First, given the same situation and elements with which to work, the guest comedians must dream up the funniest and most outrageous pranks possible, then successfully unleash them on the public. A live audience then determines which comic really got the last laugh.”
Announcing the two shows, Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), said, “Deon Cole’s Black Box and Who Gets the Last Laugh? come to us from some of today’s brightest comedic voices, affirming the power of the TBS brand to comedy lovers. These shows are not only extremely funny but also irreverent, provocative and a little bit subversive, making them ideal for fans of TBS’s CONAN, The Big Bang Theory and Family Guy.”
The cast of Starz’ Spartacus is getting ready for another action-packed season by attending the special Spartacus Boot Camp. The intensive four week training helps the cast and stunt performers prepare for production on the upcoming season, with the cast getting into “Gladiator shape.”
“Meticulous choreographing is necessary to ensure the safety of the actors performing the stunts,” stated stunt coordinator Allan Poppleton, the man in charge of the Spartacus boot camps. “For four weeks, we work the cast to the point of exhaustion, combining cross training elements- everything from cardio, basic gymnastics, foot and movement work, unarmed combat, body awareness, reactions, weaponry, and functional cross fit circuits.”
“Lean and mean is the result required” added Poppleton, “but it also helps form an amazing bond between myself, the actors and stunt performers.”
Say the series star, Liam McIntyre: “Spartacus Boot Camps are famous now for pushing you to your absolute limits. This year they found a new level with military inspired training. I’ve never been so fit in my whole life. This boot camp will kick your ass. This year it kicked it twice.”
John Mayer takes a journey from LA to Montana in the new video for “Shadow Days,” and he’s asking fans to come along by creating their own journey using an interactive version of the music video. Utilizing Google Maps Street View API and SoundCloud, Mayer’s fans can input their own “starting and ending locations and set off on a virtual road trip set to ‘Shadow Days.'”
Visit shadowdays.johnmayer.com for more info. The site also allows fans to support a charity near and dear to Mayer’s heart: the Northern California Institute for Research (NCIRE). According to the press announcement, “NCIRE pioneers new treatments and understandings of military medicine and care and strives to set a new standard of health care for Veterans and military personnel.”
John Mayer’s next album, Born and Raised, drops on May 22nd, with “Shadow Days” as the album’s first single.
“Cougar Town is a smart, whimsical sitcom that draws its humor from likable, relatable characters” stated Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “We are thrilled to have Cougar Town moving to the TBS neighborhood as the network continues to expand its slate of original comedy series.”
The Plot:
In Cougar Town, Courteney Cox stars as Jules Cobb, a recently divorced mom struggling with the challenges and pitfalls that come with a new chapter in her life. Jules spends much of her time enjoying wine with her group of friends known as the “cul de sac crew.” They include her under-achieving ex-husband, Bobby (Brian Van Holt); next-door neighbor and confidante Ellie (Christa Miller); Ellie’s loveably average husband, Andy (Ian Gomez); Jules’ fiancé and neighbor, Grayson (Josh Hopkins); and Jules’ feisty protégé, Laurie (Busy Philipps). Meanwhile, Jules’ college-student son, Travis (Dan Byrd), often proves himself more adult than anyone in the group.
Carrie Underwood’s fourth album, Blown Away, enters the Billboard 200 at number 1. According to Billboard and Nielsen SoundScan, the American Idol winner/Grammy winner’s Blown Away has already sold 267,000 units, making it her third album in a row to debut in the top spot. 
TBS has given the go-ahead to Deon Cole’s Black Box and Who Gets the Last Laugh?, two new comedies coming to the network in 2013. TBS has ordered six episode’s of CONAN writer/performer Dean Cole’s comedy which will find Cole providing his own take on “some of the most outrageous video clips to pop up across the media landscape. Cole brings a truly unique point of view to his commentary as he uses clips to riff on racial and gender stereotypes, politics and more.”
