by Shannon Hood, Feb 22 2010 // 8:00 AM
Director Martin Scorsese and frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio proved to be a lethal combination at the box office this weekend, as Shutter Island sold the most tickets. The psychological thriller scared up a healthy $40 Million during its first weekend in release, buoyed by mostly favorable reviews. The film piqued the interest of horror fans, DiCaprio fans, and Scorsese loyalists.
Despite tumbling a massive 69% from its opening weekend, Valentine’s Day still managed to snag an additional $17 Million. Avatar is still comfortably hanging out in the top five, and added $16m to its staggering totals. Ten weeks, people. Unbelievable.
Number four Percy Jackson dropped about 50% for $15 Million. Universal’s worst fears about The Wolfman have come true. The film dropped 68% from last weekend, and made a measly $9.8 Million. That $150 Million budget looks impossible to make back at this time.
You can’t blame it strictly on bad word of mouth-I have yet to hear of one single person who actually enjoyed Valentine’s Day, yet people still flocked to see the film. Quite frankly, I am scratching my head over this turn of events. There’s a reason I don’t write box office predictions.
Outside of the top five, Dear John is shaping up to be a nice hit for Sony. After 3 weeks in release, the film has more than doubled its budget of $25 Million, and has made a solid $65.9 Million.
Posted in: Box Office · Movies · News
Tagged: Avatar, Dear John, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Shutter Island, The Wolfman, Valentine's Day
by John Carle, Feb 22 2010 // 7:00 AM
When the Wii was first announced and its motion control capabilities were described, two things instantly came to the minds of hardcore gamers: guns and swords. A game where you could either swing a Wiimote like a broadsword or aim down the sights of a machine gun, the fit seemed so obvious for what was being told to them. To add to this hype, Ubisoft announced Red Steel which actually combined BOTH aspects in to one game.
When the Wii finally came out, gamers found out Nintendo’s claims, and the Wiimotes, weren’t entirely accurate. Instead of the one to one movement that was expected, waggle controls led the first wave of Wii titles and left hardcore gamers wanting more from titles like Red Steel while the casual gamers like soccer moms and senior citizens developed a love for Wii Sports.
Now, with the Wii Motion Plus which lets the Wii get closer to fulfilling its original promises, developer Ubisoft is taking a second stab at Red Steel. Coming March 25th, Red Steel 2 looks to correct the control problems the first game suffered due to the limitations of the Wii and bring its mature styled gameplay to the ever hungry hardcore audience that has been waiting patiently for the system’s next big hit.
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Posted in: Games · Trailers · Video · Video Games · Westerns · Wii
Tagged: Red Steel, Red Steel 2, Trailer, Ubisoft, Wii, Wii Motion Plus
by Joe Gillis, Feb 19 2010 // 4:00 PM
Yesterday, we had a preview of tonight’s all-new Caprica episode entitled ‘Gravedancing.’ And now, thanks to the folks at Syfy, we’ve got even more to share with you today.
In this new clips, we get more info on Adama’s plans for Greystone’s wife, how his brother fits into those plans, and what Greystone will do if his wife gets hurt. We also get to know a talk show host who may end up saving the Greystone name, but probably won’t do it just because he’s a nice guy.
We also get more bits on potential guest stars for this week’s episode and for future episodes as well. Plus, as a bonus, a couple promos for the show featuring even more tidbits to hopefully build your excitement for future episodes. In short, there’s a for you to check out.
The videos are after the break. Caprica airs tonight at 9/8C on Syfy.
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Posted in: Drama · News · Sci-Fi · SyFy · TV · Video
Tagged: Alessandra Torresani, BSG, Caprica, David Eick, Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Ron Moore, Sci-Fi, SyFy, TV
by Matt Raub, Feb 19 2010 // 3:00 PM
We’ve been known to be kind of hard on James Cameron’s Avatar, given how much money and praise it’s gotten over the past two months. Given that, there are some die-hards still out there that believe that “Pandora” is the greatest place in existence, and wish it was real. Leave it to the internet to find a way to make that humorous.
Many people have become aware of the lives of LARPers over the past few years. Some even got to see a few films, including Role Models and the little-known Darkon. It’s basically acting out a scenario that most people play using dice and boards, such as Masquerade or Dungeons and Dragons. This time, the focus is set on Pandora and the Na’vi.
After the jump, check out what a group of Hometree Wisconsin pulled together using toilet paper, wigs, and tons of blue face paint. This is all your fault, James Cameron.
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Posted in: Comedy · Fan Films · Movies · News · Sci-Fi · Video · Video Friday
Tagged: Avatar, Fan Film Friday, Fan Films, James Cameron, LARP, Live Action Role Playing, Na'vi, Wisconsin
by Chris Ullrich, Feb 19 2010 // 2:00 PM
Are you missing shows like The Office and Law and Order SVU during the Olympics hiatus? Us too. Fortunately, NBC has sent us over some new videos to tide us over until these shows return.
The first is a promo for SVU, which returns March 3rd with two back-to-back episodes. In the promo we get to see what’s up with our favorite cops and how they’re dealing with a new and potentially explosive case.
Also, to commemorate and get you excited for the special “Baby” episode of The Office where Jim and Pam’s bundle of joy finally makes an appearance, we’ve got some clips highlighting their budding romance. In the clips, follow Jim and Pam through Season 4 as they struggle to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the office and finally make the decision to take it official.
Check out all the videos after the break. The Office “Baby” episode airs March 4th and SVU returns March 3rd on NBC.
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Posted in: Comedy · Drama · NBC · News · Video
Tagged: B.J. Novack, Christopher Meloni, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Law and Order: SVU, Mariska Hargitay, NBC, Previews, Rainn Wilson, Steve Carrell, The Office, TV, Video
by Chris Ullrich, Feb 19 2010 // 1:00 PM
It’s no secret we love TV. We watch it, talk about it, review it and generally spend a lot of time with it. So, it should come as no surprise we’re very interested in what new shows may potentially be coming to the networks in the near future.
Fortunately, we don’t have to do a lot of work to find out, and you have to do even less, because the guys and gals at EW have gathered together lists of all of the 2010-2011 season pilot orders for ABC, CBS and NBC. Wasn’t that nice of them? Yes, yes it was.
Just between these three networks (we’ll bring you Fox and the others, including cable, later), 31 dramas and 29 comedies are being considered. What shows will make it to the Fall schedule is still anyone’s guess, and we’ll have to wait until May to find out, but still, it’s fun to take a look at these pilots and imagine what could be.
Be warned, this is a rather long list. However, it’s kinda interesting to see the direction the networks are taking. Read on and let us know if you think any of these sound like a show you would watch.
ABC
Dramas
187 Detroit (writer Jason Richman). A light-hearted look at Detroit’s top homicide division.
Body of Evidence (Chris Murphey). A procedural about a female medical examiner who used to work as a neurosurgeon.
Cutthroat (Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters). A dramedy about a single mother who operates an international drug cartel from Beverly Hills.
Edgar Floats (Rand Ravich). A police psychologist becomes a bounty hunter.
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Posted in: ABC · Announcements · CBS · Comedy · Drama · NBC · News
Tagged: ABC, CBS, Chase, Comedy, Criminal Minds, Cutthroat, Drama, Hawaii Five-O, Hitched, Matthew Perry, Michele Fazekas, Mr. Sunshine, NBC, Off the Map, Pilots, Prime Suspect, Rand Ravitch, Rockford Files, Shonda Rhimes, Tara Butters, TV, TV Schedule, Undercovers
by Bob Starr, Feb 19 2010 // 12:00 PM
This week on the radar we’ve got news on Steven Spielberg’s potential return to dinosaurs, the status of the third Mortal Kombat film, NBC gets a Gold in the ratings competition, and what comic book legend may show up on one of our favorite shows, The Big Bang Theory.
Let’s see what blips are on the radar this week.
Boba Fett, finally the deadliest action figure in a galaxy far, far away
If you’re like me, you grew up on the first generation of Star Wars toys and action figures. You know the ones, they had a massive (sarcasm) five points of articulation. Well, one figure that was sort of an urban legend was the missile-firing Boba Fett. We all heard of it, but rarely saw it. Well, now it can be yours with the purchase of five other figures! Offer expires 3/31/2011, while supplies last, only valid in US and Canada…and a whole lot of other legal fine print I’m sure.
Tron: Legacy viral campaign starts to gear up
Disney teased everyone at last year’s Comic Con about a Tron viral campaign. With the highly anticipated film set to open this December online viral goodness have started to trickle out. The first is a new site with a somewhat enigmatic theme to it. Can you figure out what it is? I don’t want to ruin it, but if you must know check this link out.
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Posted in: 20th Century Fox · Business · Disney · Geek · Iron Man 2 · Legal · Marvel Studios · MGM · Movies · MTV · NBC · Networks · News · On The Radar · Prequels and Sequels · Sci-Fi · Social Networking · Star Wars · Toy Fair · Toys · TV · TV Ratings · Warner Bros
Tagged: Avatar, Boba Fett, Jame Bond, James Cameron, Jurassic Park, Mortal Kombat, Sam Mendes, Stan Lee, Steven Spielberg, Tron Legacy, Twitter, Variety
by Matt Raub, Feb 19 2010 // 11:00 AM
Yesterday, we brought you a cool behind-the-scenes feature going backstage on the set of Liongsgate’s newest upcoming comic film, Kick-Ass. With that, we got to see a bit more of Mark Strong as the main baddie in the film, some more of Chloe Moret’z “Hit Girl”, and lots of Matthew Vaughn going hands-on on the set.
Today, we’re getting even more, as a brand new red band trailer has hit the web. The trailer has got pretty much everything you would want in a red band: swearing, nudity, and outrageous violence. Obviously, it should be filed under NSFW.
Unfortunately, Cage’s “Ass-Kick” line still makes the trailer. Let’s hope it doesn’t make the final cut of the film.
Check out the new trailer after the jump, from our pals at Trailer Addict, and be sure to catch Kick-Ass, starring Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, Mark Strong, and Nic Cage, on April 16th.
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Posted in: Action · Comics · Lionsgate · Marvel · Movies · News · Trailers · Video
Tagged: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kick-Ass, Lionsgate, Mark Strong, Nic Cage
by Shannon Hood, Feb 19 2010 // 10:00 AM

Martin Scorsese’s latest potboiler bears the unmistakable markings of a classic film noir. Cigarette smoke hangs heavy in the air and tendrils about the characters, almost taking on a life of its own. Dream sequences become engulfed in flames and smoke. The camera lingers on one character taking a drag off of a cigarette and inhaling the smoke directly into his nostrils.
The smoke is so pervasive that I kept thinking there has to be a reason for it, beyond atmosphere. My conclusion is that the smoke is an allegorical symbol for “smoke and mirrors”, quite apropo because on Shutter Island, nothing is as it appears.
Leonardo DiCaprio (with a thick Boston accent) plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshal who has been summoned to the mysterious Shutter Island, a foreboding chunk of land surrounded by rocky precipices. This makes the island ideal for housing dangerous and severely disturbed psychiatric patients. The movie takes place in 1954, when psychiatric patients were routinely given lobotomies, and other “treatments” were inflicted that are considered unethical and inhumane today.
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Posted in: Drama · Movies · Mystery and Suspense · Paramount · Reviews
Tagged: Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, film noir, Jackie Earle Haley, Leonardo DiCaprio, mark ruffalo, Martin Scorsese, Max Von Sydow, Movies, mystery, Patricia Clarkson, suspense
by Matt Raub, Feb 19 2010 // 9:00 AM
Back in November, lots of PlayStation 3 owners got to enjoy the classic games God of War and God of War 2 once again, this time with a new upscaled look to accommodate their fancy HDTVs. With that, a reinstated excitement for the upcoming third installment of the game was found.
The games follow Kratos, a Spartan soldier who makes a deal with Ares in order to slay his enemies. That deal immediately turns sour as he becomes the God of War’s right-hand man, killing thousands. Kratos inadvertantly kills his family in the process and vows to take down Ares. From there, the following games become incredibly deep, with plenty of references to all things Greek Mythology.
The newest game involves Kratos waging war against the gods of Olympus, with the titans on his side. The game hits stores on March 16th, and the newest trailer gives us just that much more to get excited about.
Check out the trailer for God of War III after the jump, and keep it here for updates and more for the upcoming title.
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Posted in: Action · Fantasy · Games · Geek · News · Playstation 3 · PlayStationNetwork · Trailers · Video · Video Games
Tagged: God of War, God of War 3, Playstation 3, PS3, Trailers, Video Games
by John Carle, Feb 19 2010 // 8:00 AM
With all the info we got from X10, we can’t forget the new screenshots for Ruffian Games’ sci-fi sandbox shooter Crackdown 2. Without even looking at the added hype Crackdown received due to the inclusion of the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, the game was a critical and commercial success.
Now, taking lessons learned from the first game and kicking up the superhero-esque themes to the next level, Crackdown 2 looks ready to emerge as one of the top XBox 360 exclusives of 2010. Now featuring zombie freaks as opposed to the relatively “normal” enemies of the last game, the Agency needed to turn up the juice with some new weapons, armor and vehicles.
Dune buggies with added turrets, overcharged gauntlets for hand to hand combat and even a fully armed helicopter now help protect the streets of Crackdown 2. Take a look at some of the screens just released from X10 and of course stay tuned right here for more coverage of Crackdown 2.
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Posted in: Games · Geek · Photos · Video Games · X10 · Xbox 360
Tagged: Crackdown, Crackdown 2, Microsoft Games Studio, Screen Shots, X10, Xbox 360
by Matt Raub, Feb 19 2010 // 7:00 AM
With Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass coming to theaters this April, Lionsgate has been stepping up their marketing in spades over the past month. They put out a few cool new trailers, some great character posters, and now they’re rolling out a neat new mini documentary of life on the set.
Empire was lucky enough to film the antics backstage with just about everyone from the cast, including Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and even Matthew Vaughn himself.
Now that Mark Millar’s first run has ended in the comics, we all know what we’re in store for with the film, and it should be a fun ride, including the possible on-screen death of a very unlikeable A-list actor.
Check out Empire’s mini documentary after the jump, and be sure to catch Lionsgate’s Kick-Ass in theaters on April 16th.
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Posted in: Action · Comics · Documentary · Lionsgate · Marvel · Movies · News · Video
Tagged: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Empire, Kick-Ass, Lionsgate, Mark Millar, Mark Strong, Marvel, Matthew Vaughn