How do you even begin to describe a film like Tree of Life? Words such as “art-house film,” “sweeping,” and “transcendent” are accurate, but misleading in their connotation. Typically they evoke the image of a self-important, storyless mess, mired in ambiguity and bereft of substance.

In its defense, the tone is humble. The story is of a son recalling childhood memories of his father and reconciling the differences between them. The clarity is in the simplicity and beauty of its scenes. And the substance is in the detailed moments it creates to evoke our own similar experiences.

With an opening shot of the universe itself, director Terence Malick (Badlands, The Thin Red Line) implies mammoth importance, but he avoids pretension by never forcing a message. This shot and others show an awe and respect (to say nothing of their magnificence) for the subject matter that ask us to appreciate rather than tell us what to think.

Similarly, Tree of Life has a message, but it doesn’t preclude the audience from appreciating its scenes on their own terms. A small sequence accompanied by Gorecki’s Symphony number 3 had a very deep impact on me. Other audience members laughed and were then were quiet when one of the boys tries to accompany his father on the guitar.

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Not to be confused with the James Caan film of the mid-seventies called The Killer Elite, this film, which is just called Killer Elite, features Jason Statham and Clive Owen going toe to toe trying to see who the best killer is. Along for the ride are Robert De Niro as Statham’s mentor and master assassin in his own right and Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski who’s also pretty killer in her own way.

Now, we’ve got some pics and a trailer for the film to share with you today. In the trailer we get a good idea of the rivalry that’s going to be the centerpiece of the film and also the requisite explosions, running, shooting and even a brief glimpse of Yvonne Strahovski in a bikini. Don’t worry, I’m sure she also manages to kick some ass in the film and not just show some.

The film is based on a true story and is “the action-packed account of an ex-special ops agent (Statham) who is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (De Niro). To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader (Owen).”

Click through for the trailer and all the pics. Killer Elite hits theaters on September 23rd.

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Riding on the success and awesomeness of X-Men: First Class, Marvel has decided to continue in the trend of “retro heroes” as they go all the way back to the end of the second World War with Avengers 1959.

The series will give us some great moments that we remember fondly in history with that special Marvel twist and some great heroic moments with our favorites like Nick Fury, Punisher, Sabertooth, and more. Here’s the press release:

Spinning out from the pages of New Avengers, Marvel is pleased to announce Avengers 1959 #1 (of 5), a brand new mini-series from comics legend Howard Chaykin, this fall! An unique team of super powered individuals of the post-World War II era including,  Sabretooth, Kraven the Hunter and Namora, must combat threats in New York, Madripoor, and everywhere in between!

“I’m grabbing what feels like a brass ring here, with the opportunity to do an untold story of the lost years of the Marvel Universe,” explained Chaykin. “In a follow up to the sensational stuff laid out by Brian Bendis in NEW AVENGERS, we’ll follow Nick Fury and his Avengers around the world as they track down and take down super powered survivors of the Third Reich–as their ever effort is countermanded by a mysterious agency with a dark agenda of its own.”

A pretty action packed series, you can expect to catch the first of five issues hit shelves and comic book stores everywhere this October.

Sometimes the anticipation and enthusiasm for a movie can be enhanced by a series of great trailers. Unfortunately, anticipation and enthusiasm an also be killed by bad trailers or ones that just don’t resonate with the audience. Green Lantern is a recent example of this.

Fortunately, we don’t have that problem with the latest trailer for Marvel’s upcoming Summer action blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger. In it we get a better look at the man who is to become Cap and we also get some wise, sage advise from Stanley Tucci’s Dr. Erskine as he tells our hero that “Whatever happens, stay who you are.”

Good advice and a great trailer. This movie continues to look amazing and I can’t wait for it to be released. I’ll be in line before day one if possible.

Check out the trailer after the break. Captain America: The First Avenger hits theaters on July 22nd.

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With today’s update to Apple’s Mac OS X software (aka Snow Leopard), it just may be the last one we ever see. With OS X 10.7 (aka Lion) set to ship in the next few months, Snow Leopard may end up finishing its life at version 10.6.8, which is the update number released today.

This update addresses the following:

• Enhance the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion

• Resolve an issue that may cause Preview to unexpectedly quit

• Improve support for IPv6

• Improve VPN reliability

• Identify and remove known variants of Mac Defender

The combo updater for 10.6.8 is available from Apple and is 1.01 GB. You can also get the delta updater by going to Software Update on your individual Mac.

For more information about the update, head on over to Apple’s website.

As we told you previously, Activision is set to release a new expansion pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops soon called Annihilation. We’ve already brought you some screenshots and the first trailer for the expansion pack and now, we’ve got a new multi-player trailer to share today.

As I’m sure you’rea aware, Annihilation will include four new multiplayer maps “Hangar 18,” “Drive-In,” “Silo” and “Hazard.” There will also be a new add-on for the popular Zombie mode, in which players must defend themselves against hordes of the undead.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is a huge success having grossed over $1 Billion worldwide. With content packs like Annihilation and previous releases First Strike and Escalation, its popularity is sure to continue.

Check out the trailer after the jump. Get the new map pack on June 28th exclusively for XBox 360.

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Historical dramas are often hit or miss. Sure, history can be very interesting but it also can, at times, be rather dry and boring. Fortunately, when you combine the talents of actors Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Kiera Knightly and director David Cronenberg, history suddenly becomes a lot more interesting.

Now, as if to prove my point, a new international trailer is for Cronenberg’s upcoming film A Dangerous Method has arrived. As I said, Cronenberg is directing from a screenplay adapted by writer Christopher Hampton from his 2002 stage play The Talking Cure.

The film takes place right before World War I and follows the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung (Fassbender), his mentor Sigmund Freud (Mortensen), and Sabina Spielrein (Knightly), the troubled but beautiful young woman who comes between them. Of course, drama ensues. But good, edgy drama.

Check out the trailer after the jump. A Dangerous Method hits theaters later this year.

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Darksiders was a game that many people expected to fall by the wayside between lack of promotion and an interesting choice in release dates, January 1st 2010. But as was seen in our review of the game, giving it an 8 out of 10, Darksiders proved it had the potential to be something special and for the most part lived up to it.

Not entirely what gamers were expecting, Darksiders ended up playing out much like a dark, demon filled version of Ocarina of Time where players were challenged to solve puzzles along with a constantly improving repertoire of weapons, skills and magic at their disposal under the guise of the horseman of the apocalypse War.

Now, Darksiders II brings a new horseman to the player’s control, probably the most infamous of them all. Death. And with Death comes a whole new list of possibilities. War’s power were all about destruction. It would only make sense that Death’s powers were all about… well, death. Instead of just ripping enemies apart, Death can bring about the primordial forces to end the lives of any who oppose him, be they angel or demon. At least, that’s what we are hoping to see happen.

Darksiders II is coming in 2012 to XBox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Make sure to take a peek at the trailer below to see Death in action. Stick to the Flickcast for more information on Darksiders II as it becomes available.

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I haven’t “gotten” Michael Winterbottom yet. I appreciate the skill that went into 24-Hour Party People and the cleverness of Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, I even like Steve Coogan…but while I appreciate the talent, I don’t especially like it. It is a personal preference and nothing more, and I, admittedly, have seen only a handful of his films.

His films leave me in a dour mood, one that feels instilled for its own sake. I don’t mind “dark” films when they use their darkness to impart a deeper message, but I’ve yet to see a Winterbottom film with such a message. Winterbottom’s latest film, The Trip, is a prime example of that displeasure.

The Trip finds Coogan and Rob Brydon, two talents and Winterbottom favorites, on a culinary tour of northern England. Coogan’s been commissioned by The Observer to write an article on the local cuisine, and he sees it as good enough an excuse as any for a paying holiday.

The original plan was for Coogan’s girlfriend to accompany him, but she pulls out at the last minute for a trip to America, so Brydon’s brought in as a last-minute replacement. Brydon’s a good-enough spirit, and, despite Coogan’s insistence that they’re more work acquaintances and not friends.

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When we live in a world where a film like Footloose warrants a remake, why wouldn’t another classic and iconic film like The Crow get a reboot for a modern audience? That’s exactly what Relativity Media thinks, as they’re moving forward with a remake or “reinvention” of the 1994 comic book adaptation.

It looks like they’re moving so quickly towards this idea that a screenwriter has even been found. Alex Tse, who adapted Alan Moore’s Watchmen to screen with Zack Snyder is looking to reinvent the tale of the man who couldn’t die.

Relativity Media’s President of Worldwide Production, Tucker Tooley, and Edward R. Pressman, producer behind the cult-classic The Crow franchise, announced today they have attached Alex Tse (Watchmen) to write their reinvention of The Crow, the 1994 critically acclaimed, sensation based on the comic book series and comic strip by James O’Barr.

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Last week, we brought you the E3 Live Action trailer for Rise of Nightmares from SEGA.  Today, we let you see the game in action.

From what we can tell from this gameplay trailer for Rise of Nightmares, the graphics resemble that of other first person horror titles like Condemned with dark, gritty overtones along with the gore levels of House of the Dead. The animations look solid as the shambling attackers bring their constant threat to the player.

One thing that stands out as out of place in the trailer is the disembodied arm of the player when using the chainsaw. When using other weapons, the player’s arms are always there but in the snippets featuring the chainsaw, the player’s arms are floating in air. Hopefully this visual will be fixed by the game’s release as it is a strong visual disconnect at the moment.

The hardest part about seeing Kinect titles is that the gameplay footage is only half of the experience. Even more so than games using a controller where players are used to standard experiences like platforming, shooting and traversing though a level, the Kinect is bringing these to players in a new way. It will be interesting to see just how they play out when Rise of Nightmares is released later this year.

Check out the trailer after the jump and stick to The Flickcast for more on Rise of Nightmares from SEGA.

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The countdown to to the return of Syfy’s Eureka for season five is almost done. The show returns soon will all-new episodes and to help generate more interest in that return, Syfy has sent us a new preview for this season.

Of course, we’re going to share it with you. In case you’re not familiar with the show and are wondering what all the fuss is about, here’s some info from our friends at Syfy: “Eureka seems like any other cozy, Pacific Northwest town, but is actually a secret community of geniuses assembled by the government to conduct top-secret research. What they’ve unwittingly created is a place where anything imaginable can happen… and does.”

Eureka also features a diverse and talented cast including Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Niall Matter and James Callis. In addition, it will feature several guest stars for the new season including Wil Wheaton, Felicia Day and Stan Lee.

Check out the preview after the jump. Eureka returns Monday, July 11th on Syfy.

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