Filming has begun on the film version of Steve Harvey’s bestselling book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. The comedy – with a shortened title of Think Like a Man – is directed by Fantastic Four helmer Tim Story and was adapted for the screen by Keith Merryman and David A Newman.
The large cast of Think Like a Man includes Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Terrance J, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, and Gabrielle Union. Lala Vazquez and Arielle Kebbel take on supporting roles.
In the film, four interconnected and diverse friends have their love lives shaken up after the women they are pursuing buy Steve Harvey’s book and start taking his advice to heart. When the band of brothers find out that they have been betrayed by one of their own, they conspire to use the book’s teachings to turn the tables.
Will Packer (Stomp The Yard, Obsessed, Takers) will produce via his Rainforest Films banner. “Steve Harvey has established himself as one of the funniest and most insightful voices in America. That coupled with an incredible cast makes this an exciting venture,” says Packer.
Steve Harvey, Rushion McDonald, and Rob Hardy will executive produce. Think Like a Man is scheduled for release on April 6, 2012.
This Star Trek did what Batman Begins managed to do for me back in 2005. Prior to that origin story, I had no clue as to what the fuss was all about. Why were people still interested in a guy who dressed up like a bat and fought clowns to keep Gotham safe from crime? I didn’t get it, and Batman didn’t appeal to me in the least. But Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale taught me everything I, as a non-comic book person, needed to know about the Caped Crusader and made a Batman fan out of me.
The same now goes for this Star Trek.
I remember watching exactly one Star Trek movie prior to this – the one with the whale – but nothing about any of the other films interested me in the slightest bit. I did catch reruns of the original series as a kid every now and then, but never considered myself a Star Trek ‘fan’ of any sort. But now, thanks to screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, director JJ Abrams, and an incredibly talented cast of actors, I really understand and appreciate what it is about Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew that gets people all worked up.
Star Trek takes audiences on the adventure of a lifetime, and I’d gladly sit through this revamped, reinvigorated, re-energized origin tale over and over again – something I don’t say about even the very best summer blockbusters. Being a Trekkie seems sort of cool after watching 2009’s version of Star Trek, something I would never in my wildest dreams have anticipated ever thinking prior to this Star Trek film.
The Story:
Kurtzman and Orci serve up an origin story crammed with details yet fast-paced and flowing. The story they’ve fashioned takes place in an alternate universe and so not every bit of Star Trek mythology plays out as anticipated; there are twists and turns here that Trekkies and Trekkers won’t expect (including a surprisingly touching love story). It’s a smart – and brave – move on Kurtzman and Orci’s part as they’ve managed to tell a story that doesn’t put off newbies or Star Trek veterans by placing it in this other reality.
Every main character from the Star Trek franchise is given his or – in the case of the lone female, Uhura (Zoe Saldana) – her time to shine as they’re introduced and given their assignments onboard the USS Enterprise as it leaves on its maiden voyage.
We learn Kirk’s a rebel who signs up for Starfleet after being goaded into it by Captain Pike. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is an instructor at Starfleet only because he opted not to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers. Bones (Karl Urban), a doctor who doesn’t like to fly, immediately finds a kindred spirit in Kirk (Chris Pine), and the two quickly develop a close friendship that actually is the catalyst to Kirk serving aboard the USS Enterprise. Scotty (Simon Pegg) doesn’t enter the picture until later on, but when it’s his time to join the USS Enterprise crew he does so with a bang. And in this reality, Uhura is an intelligent and feisty woman who doesn’t take any crap from anyone, including Kirk.
This new group, fresh out of the Starfleet Academy, is immediately thrust into the heat of battle when Nero (Eric Bana) – a visitor from the future – seeks revenge for a horrific act that hasn’t yet occurred. Kirk, proving he’s born to be the man in charge, takes the lead after Captain Pike is kidnapped, butting heads with Spock (his nemesis from the academy) as the crew of the USS Enterprises has the fate of Earth resting in their hands. Fortunately, in a splendid twist that makes total sense, another visitor from the future is willing to share information crucial to their success.
The Cast:
Chris Pine – brilliant. Zachary Quinto – brilliant. Eric Bana – brilliant. You get the picture? JJ Abrams did a simply amazing job of matching actors to roles, and not once does any performance feel like – and here’s where it could have gone desperately, disastrously wrong – a copycat of the original. These are fresh, original takes on the characters yet at the same time, you know exactly who these people are. How did they pull that off? It’s an unbelievable accomplishment I can’t even begin to describe. Adjectives fail me.
The Bottom Line:
This bold adventure is sure to win over a whole new generation of fans. There’s something for everyone in this Star Trek. I know I was totally enthralled and completely entertained throughout the film. The special effects were first-rate, the cinematography was stunning, the production design was unparalleled, and under Abrams’ direction, every aspect of this Star Trek felt vibrant and fresh, and engaging. And on that subject, Star Trek deserves to be seen in all its big screen glory so don’t wait for the DVD/Blu-ray release.
Star Trek is the perfect summer movie. There’s not a thing about this film I’d change, a scene I’d cut, or dialogue I’d in any way alter. It’s got the action, the heart, the thrills, and the humor needed to provide the perfect escape experience audiences are looking for now more than ever.
Star Trek is an incredibly impressive, exceptionally entertaining film. And best of all, it doesn’t matter if you know absolutely nothing about the series or films. Don’t be put off by the fact it’s a Star Trek movie and don’t dismiss it because you’re afraid you’ll be lost and confused by the plot. No prior knowledge is needed to become immersed in this high-flying, sci-fi extravaganza.
This origin story works on so many different levels, I can’t wait to see what Abrams and crew have up their sleeves for the next Star Trek adventure.
116 Months. 10 Years. 1 Decade. I’ll spare you the potentially terrible math regarding days, hours, minutes, etc. and just get on with it: It’s so bittersweet to say goodbye to Harry Potter.
Film audiences flocked to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001 and now, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 brings J.K. Rowling’s saga of a boy wizard’s remarkably dramatic maturation process to an end.
At this point, the only people who aren’t familiar with the series are those too young to understand the intricacies behind their uncle saying he’s “got your nose.” And strictly speaking, writing a film review about the last chapter in a franchise that’s spanned so many chapters and quite literally allowed millions of kids to “grow up with” Harry, Ron, and Hermione, doesn’t make a lot of sense. No sane individual would start watching the series at the eighth film and anyone who’s followed the books, the movies, or both, probably pre-ordered their tickets online weeks ago.
For those wondering if the last film lives up to expectations, the short answer is yes. Both parts of The Deathly Hallows were shot concurrently, with the same director, producers, cinematographer, composer, etc., etc. More to the point, director David Yates has been calling action since the 5th film, The Order of the Phoenix, so the tone and fundamental look of the last few films has matched up spectacularly.
For those who felt that the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 dragged on a bit too much (although I’m told that’s a product of being relatively faithful to the book), you shouldn’t have that problem here. After a particularly beautiful and melancholy rendition of the Harry Potter theme by composer Alexandre Desplat opens the proceedings, the last installment hits the ground running, and the only stopping points are to give brief bits of exposition or to allow key moments to sink in.
All of the actors are once again up to snuff and it’s truly remarkable to look back on the path the cast has undergone over the last decade. As is customary, I got together with a few friends and re-watched the entire franchise prior to seeing the latest (and in this case, the last) in the series. Seeing Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint mature and grow from wee children into full-fledged adults is a special and rare privilege for filmgoers. This kind of stability in a film franchise isn’t common and, despite any rumors or allegations, everyone (from the lead actors on down through the supporting cast who also are blessed/cursed to see themselves go through puberty on-screen) made a wonderful account of themselves.
Most of the technical elements providing the backbone for the film are once again handled beautifully. The special effects, costuming, and production design are all astounding. And Desplat’s contribution to the final two films’ scores added subtlety when it was needed and complemented all of the big action scenes just as ably.
I’m still not a huge fan of cinematographer Eduardo Serra’s work on both parts of the Deathly Hallows, however. While much of both films takes place in dark environments, it still felt like there could have been better use of shadow and more definition to the darkness to separate out the characters from their surroundings. In short, things were often too dark and for much of Part 2 especially, all handled within a very limited color palette.
Some may try to blame the 3D for dampening the color scheme, as Warner Bros. elected to release the final chapter in the third dimension (with visions of dollar signs in their eyes no doubt). However, in flipping the tinted lenses off and on throughout, there was of course some loss of color but nothing that drastically altered the presentation – thanks to such dark and flat choices to begin with.
And for those of you wondering whether or not you should avoid Hollywood’s latest fad, the good news is that there are some scenes that work well even though they were converted into the third dimension and not originally shot using 3D cameras. However, there aren’t enough moments that make shelling out those extra bucks necessary. The technology didn’t get in the way this time, but you can live without it … unless, as you can see from the picture I so poorly took below, you must have these snazzy 3D glasses made especially for the film (that don’t fit too comfortably over glasses if you’re visually challenged like myself):
The bottom line still comes down to this, are you a fan of the Harry Potter series? If so, then I have no idea why you’re reading this but I thank you for doing so. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 closes the book, so to speak, on a rich and engaging franchise that has continued to impress as it evolved. If it weren’t for some almost laughable attempts at aging characters via hairstyles, a touch of make-up, and frumpy clothing, there wouldn’t be much to nitpick about.
For anyone who never got into the franchise or gave up after the first two films (which were squarely aimed at the demographic of the actors themselves although there was more for fantasy fans to grab onto), I’d say that you ought to give the first three a shot. At that point, cinematically, you’ll know if this is a journey you want to take or if things are distinctly not your cup of tea.
And so, it is with both joy and sadness that I say goodbye to the franchise. They’ll live on in my Blu-ray collection, but there’s still something so wonderful about seeing them on the big screen. At least now I can open up the books and see what led to the films. After a self-imposed ban on reading Rowling’s novels, in order to concentrate on how the films delivered rather than worrying about dropped sub-plots and the like, I have thousands of pages to keep the memories of these characters going strong in my head. “Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived” …
GRADE: A
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 hits theaters on July 15, 2011 and is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.
More on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2:
Glee‘s music teacher Matthew Morrison has signed up for the romantic comedy What To Expect When You’re Expecting, based on the bestselling novel by Heidi Murkoff. Morrison will star opposite Cameron Diaz as Evan who’s “teamed up with Diaz’s Jules on a popular celebrity dance show. All their heat on and off the dance floor soon sparks a bun in the oven that will force them to synch their bi-coastal lives and reassess what matters in life – all while in the national spotlight.”
The cast also includes Jennifer Lopez, Brooklyn Decker, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Chace Crawford, and Rob Huebel. Lionsgate’s set a May 11, 2012 release date for the rom-com.
More on Matthew Morrison:
Morrison is currently on a summer tour to promote his self-titled debut album which includes duets with Sir Elton John, Sting, and Gwyneth Paltrow. He has received an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for his role in the Fox hit, Glee, returning for a third season this fall. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role in “Light in the Piazza.”
More on What to Expect When You’re Expecting:
Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, What to Expect When You’re Expecting is an ensemble romantic-comedy in the vein of Love Actually and Valentine’s Day. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.
The 2011 The Thing is a prequel and not a remake of John Carpenter’s classic 1982 thriller. Heading to theaters on October 14th, the new The Thing was directed by Matthijs van Heijningen and is rated R for strong creature violence…among other things.
The action thriller stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate Lloyd, Joel Edgerton as Braxton Carter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Jameson, and Ulrich Thomsen as Dr Sander Halvorson. Eric Christian Olsen plays Adam Goldman, Trond Espen Seim is Edvard Wolner, and Kim Bubbs is Juliette.
Official Synopsis: Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost where a discovery full of scientific possibility becomes a mission of survival when an alien is unearthed by a crew of international scientists. The shape-shifting creature, accidentally unleashed at this marooned colony, has the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being. It can look just like you or me, but inside, it remains inhuman. In the thriller The Thing, paranoia spreads like an epidemic among a group of researchers as they’re infected, one by one, by a mystery from another planet.
Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up.
When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew’s pilot, Carter (Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish.
“I can see you’re going to be awfully feisty today,” says Winnie the Pooh to his tummy who’s letting him know with loud rumbles that it wants honey in the animated feature film Winnie the Pooh. Disney has brought back to the big screen all the characters of the Hundred Acre Wood for a brand new adventure that finds Winnie the Pooh searching for some nice honey to settle his hungry stomach.
Pooh (voiced wonderfully by Jim Cummings) is having no luck getting any honey from his friends who seem to have a different problem. Eeyore has gone and lost his tail and is feeling very blue about it. So the entire gang – Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and Piglet – decides to have a contest to solve Eeyore’s problem. Whoever comes up with a replacement tail for their donkey friend will win a big pot of rich, sticky, gooey honey.
Pooh and his friends are not long into the contest when Owl comes across a note from their good friend Christopher Robin. (For anyone who doesn’t know, all the characters in the Hundred Acre Wood are from the imagination and playroom of the boy.) Owl gets the note wrong and convinces all his friends that Christopher Robin has been taken by a creature called “The Backson.” So the search for Eeyore’s tail and honey for Pooh must once again wait in order for the gang to go rescue their friend.
Winnie the Pooh is a charming and sweet animated adventure that takes the characters and the audience back to the days of storybook tales. The simplicity of both the animation and the problems of the characters is refreshing, endearing, and wonderful. The entire voice cast does a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life while staying true to how they acted and sounded in the original films of the late 1960s and early ’70s.
In an era of star-powered, loud, 3-D flashy animated films hitting the screen with no real moral compass or genuine plot, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh brings back to the big screen the gentle, warm, and innocent characters who remind us of the importance of imagination, friendship, selflessness, and play. Make sure to take a trip this summer to the Hundred Acre Wood and have some old-fashioned fun with a silly nilly old bear.
GRADE: B
Winnie the Pooh hits theaters on July 15, 2011 and is rated G for all audiences.
The Dead are coming back to life with a new Evil Dead remake from the men who brought us the first film: Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell (who played ‘Ash’ in the original franchise). The Evil Dead is being reborn at Ghost House Pictures.
Raimi and Tapert were such instant fans of Fede Alvarez’s short film Panic Attack that they set up a blind deal with the filmmaker and through that process have attached Fede Alvarez to write and direct the film. Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is currently doing revisions on the draft. Ghost House is committed to renewing the franchise and has the film on the fast track.
Raimi, Tapert, and Campbell will serve as producers. Ghost House Pictures partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Nicole Brown and J.R. Young will oversee the project for Ghost House. Lionsgate will handle international sales of the film.
The three producing partners commented, “We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the Evil Dead series. We can’t wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.”
Raimi wrote, directed and, along with Tapert and Campbell, produced the original horror classic The Evil Dead that tells the story of five twenty-something friends who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist’s tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.
The Evil Dead spawned a franchise with the equally successful installments Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness.
Lady Gaga’s “The Edge Of Glory” (The Remixes) EP is now available on iTunes.
Track Listing:
1. The Edge Of Glory (Sultan & Ned Shephard Remix)
2. The Edge Of Glory (Funkagenda Remix)
3. The Edge Of Glory (Bare Noize Remix)
4. The Edge Of Glory (Porter Robinson Remix)
5. The Edge Of Glory (Cahill Club Mix)
6. The Edge Of Glory (Foster The People Remix)
Are you ready for more Degrassi? If the answer’s yes, then you’ll be happy to know the show will be back for the 11th season beginning on July 18, 2011. TeenNick announced the return of the popular show is set for Monday, July 18th, at 9pm ET/PT.
Building on last year’s record-breaking six-week run, TeenNick will unveil an additional premiere week and kick off the season with an hour-long special, guest starring long-time die-hard Degrassi fan Keke Palmer as herself. New episodes of Degrassi will premiere every weeknight, Monday through Thursday, at 9pm through Thursday, September 1.
In the hour-long special season premiere, “Spring Fever,” all the students at Degrassi are abuzz about the spring break event – Keke Palmer’s concert. Newly single Sav is depressed post-Holly-J break-up, but a flirtatious encounter with a beautiful stranger perks him up when she tells him to meet her at Keke’s show. Though Drew’s mom is keeping him on a short leash, he and Bianca are growing closer until her ex-boyfriend Anson comes back into the picture. Meanwhile, Fiona meets a gorgeous figure model at Holly J’s art class.
HBO raked in the most Emmy nominations, picking up 104 Primetime Emmy noms and continuing their rule over the nominations. Announced today in LA, HBO’s nominations added another notch to its belt as for the 11th year in a row the cable network picked up the most nominations.
HBO’s Mildred Pierce earned the most with 21 nominations, while Boardwalk Empire received 18. Game of Thrones followed with 13 nominations.
This year’s HBO Emmy nominations:
21 nominations for Mildred Pierce including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Kate Winslet), 2 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Brian F. O’Byrne, Guy Pearce), 3 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Melissa Leo, Mare Winningham, Evan Rachel Wood), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Todd Haynes) and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Todd Haynes, Jon Raymond).
18 nominations for Boardwalk Empire including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Steve Buscemi), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Kelly Macdonald), and 2 for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Jeremy Podeswa, Martin Scorsese).
13 nominations for Game of Thrones including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Peter Dinklage), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Tim Van Patten) and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (David Benioff, D.B. Weiss).
11 nominations for Too Big to Fail including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (William Hurt), 2 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Paul Giamatti, James Woods), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Curtis Hanson) and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Peter Gould).
9 nominations for Cinema Verite including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Diane Lane) and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini).
5 nominations for Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special (Laurieann Gibson).
4 nominations for Gasland including Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking, Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox) and Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox).
4 nominations for True Blood including Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Alfre Woodard).
3 nominations for The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.
3 nominations for Thurgood including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Laurence Fishburne).
2 nominations for Wishful Drinking including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.
2 nominations for If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise.
