• Michel Gondry got tired of the studios taking too long for the expected remake, so he decided to make his own low-budget remake of Taxi Driver. Here’s the trailer.

• Fans may have hated Nic Cage’s original Ghost Rider film, but with Crank’s Neveldine and Taylor on the sequel, and this trailer looking amazing, we can’t help but get excited.

• Dario Argento has earned the respect of horror and crime fans everywhere, but even he can’t expect us to ignore the putridness of this trailer for Dracula 3D. What was he thinking?

• A brand new fan trailer with giant robots has hit the web, and this time it only cost $150. The difference? It looks better than some multi-million dollar pictures.

Continue Reading →

There have been rumors swirling for a long time that The Green Hornet was a troubled production.  Original director Stephen Chow bailed on the movie; George Clooney was once attached, as was Kevin Smith.

Eventually Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) took over the directing duties.  Seth Rogan co-wrote the movie, and stars as the title character. Many felt that he was all wrong for the role of the beloved superhero, but he did end up losing about 30 pounds to slim down for the role.

After all is said and done, The Green Hornet is a mixed bag.  I liked certain parts, but more often than not I had to keep myself from mentally checking out to go over my grocery list. I had to concentrate on watching the movie, and that is never a good sign.

Seth Rogan plays Britt Reid, the Paris Hilton of the publishing world. The sole heir of a publishing empire, Britt spends his life partying and behaving like an all around jackass.  He has a bad relationship with his no nonsense father (Tom Wilkinson) who has no time or patience for his son’s antics. We are shown in flashbacks that the two never had a warm relationship.

When Britt’s father abruptly dies (from a bee sting), Britt must finally step up and take some responsibility. He makes fast friends with his father’s auto mechanic Kato (who is later revealed to be master gadget maker) and with the support of his new friend, he decides to run The Daily Sentinel, his father’s legacy building publication.

Continue Reading →

While most people protest that the main character is the most important part to any incarnation of The Green Hornet, there is a huge argument to be made that the true heroes are Kato and Black Beauty, the tricked out car of The Green Hornet. That’s certainly what they’re going for in Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry’s upcoming film, as Rogen even toured around the country with Black Beauty last summer pimping the film.

In the film, Rogen stars as billionaire snob Britt Reid, who’s father is murdered, making him vow justice and take down the crime lords in his town. He’s joined by Jay Chou’s Kato, a martial arts and weapons expert who helps Britt fight crime as The Green Hornet.

Written by Rogen and Evan Goldman, the writing team behind Superbad and Pineapple Express, you can expect this film to be less on the serious side, and more mocking the campiness of the original Green Hornet TV series.

In a new clip, we get to see the origin and birth of Reid’s car, Black Beauty. Check it out after the jump and catch The Green Hornet in 3D and 2D theaters on January 14th.

Continue Reading →

It’s funny how the general perspective on Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry’s upcoming Green Hornet for Sony has changed over the past year. The film was destined to fail several times after playing musical chairs with the director, pushing the date back more that 6 months, and converting the film to 3D after it was in the can. However, now that the film has been released to critics, word is coming out that the movie may be worth something after all.

The script comes from Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the best friend team that brought us Superbad and Pineapple Express, so you know these two can at least bring the funny. The biggest concern has been the trailer that was released, which shows the film in a very unfunny light.

After checking out what things looked like on the set, however, this could end up being just an editing error, and the movie may just be what we expect in a campy superhero comedy.

Check out the behind the scenes featurette after the jump and catch skinny Rogen in The Green Hornet in theaters on January 14th in both 2D and 3D.

Continue Reading →

It’s been the week of trailers as studios gear up for the all-important holiday movie season. So far this week we’ve seen Red Riding Hood, Cowboys and Aliens, The Mechanic, Green Lantern and quite a few more.

This time around we’ve got another trailer featuring Seth Rogen as action hero Green Hornet. This one goes deeper into the story and gives us a better look at what we can expect action-wise and humor-wise from the movie.

Of course, even though Rogen is keeping it sorta serious here, you can still expect to see quite a bit of humor in the film. After all, if the Iron Man formula has taught Hollywood anything it’s that action and humor go hand in hand. It’s just too bad this movie doesn’t have Robert Downey, Jr. in it. Oh well.

Check out the trailer after the jump. The Green Hornet, which in addition to Rogen features Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz and is directed by Michel Gondry, hits theaters on January 14.

Continue Reading →

Not a lot of people are holding out hope for Seth Rogen’s Green Hornet. There seems to be a general consensus from both the studio and the critic community that the film looks pretty awful, to the point where Sony has already attempted to save the film by converting it to 3D and pushing back the release date to a less active weekend.

It just seems that the film is destined for Jonah Hex-style obscurity. With that said, you should know exactly what to expect when going into the film. You could end up having the time of your life if you have little-to-no expectations, and the film could end up surprising you entirely.

The newest trailer lends to that theory. Written by Rogen and Evan Golberg, the same team who did Superbad, the film is a comedic send up to the classic pulp hero. Inglorious Basterds’ star Christoph Waltz even steps in as the film’s baddie, which should raise the film’s geek cred.

Check out the newest international trailer for the flick after the jump. Then, lower your expectations and check out Rogen’s The Green Hornet in theaters on January 14th, 2011.

Continue Reading →

It’s been quite a journey for the production of Seth Rogen’s The Green Hornet. We all remember when Asian actor/director Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) was signed to direct and play Kato, and that changed. Then Michel Gondry came aboard, and Nicolas Cage was attached to play the antagonist, and that changed. Christoph Waltz then got the part, but the studio felt the movie would look better in 3D.

Finally, after all of the pieces finally fell into place, we’ve got ourselves a trailer, and not a bad looking one to boot.

The film stars Rogen as billionaire brat Britt Reid, who pretty much does what he wants, and couldn’t care less about the consequences. He’s introduced to Kato (now played by Jay Chou) and they decide to take back their crime-infested city by adopting the persona of The Green Hornet, a masked crime fighter.

The film has been panned by critics who have gotten glimpses of footage, and even the studio has pushed the film back to try and salvage what money they’ve already spent. There’s no telling whether or not the film will be a bust or not, but at least we have a fancy trailer to keep us thinking.

Check it out after the jump, and catch Rogen’s Green Hornet in theaters January 14, 2011.

Continue Reading →

I first became aware of director Sebastian Gutierrez when I watched one of his first films, She Creature. I’ve followed his career since that time and watched most of his other movies with interest. His latest, Elektra Luxx, the sequel to his ealier film Women In Touble, chronicles the exploits of former porn star trying to change her life now that she’s discovered she’s going to be a mother.

I caught up with Gutierrez during the recent SXSW Film Festival where his film screened to a packed audience, not once, but twice. Here’s what he had to say about the film, his creative process and working with his movie star wife Carla Gugino.

The Flickcast: This film is a sequel of sorts to your earlier film Women in Trouble, correct? Was your plan always to make a sequel to that film? I also heard you are actually going for a trilogy, correct?

Sebastian Gutierrez: Yes, it’s a trilogy. We felt that Star Wars, LOTR, etc. shouldn’t be the only stories allowed to spread out over three movies and thought we’d compete with them.

TF: If you had to tell someone who had never seen Women In Trouble what Elektra Luxx is about, what would you tell them?

SG: It’s about one day in the life of a recently retired pornstar as she tries to make it in the straight world.

TF: How did you approach making the film? Was their a complete script or was some of the film improvised?

Continue Reading →

Diversity seems to be the key this year at the SXSW festival, which takes place in Austin, TX from March 12-20, as they’ve now announced the full lineup of Panels and short films that will be at this years event. As with the feature films schedule, this list of panels and shorts should provide an almost endless supply of diverse and interesting programming for attendees.

Following sre some highlights of panels we think are worth checking out. For a full list and descriptions, head over to the SXSW official site. Also, be sure to check back here at The Flickast as we’ll be at SXSW this year to bring you all the details on these great events and much more.

A Conversation with Michel Gondry
The stratospheric rise of Academy Award-winning visionary Michel Gondry is one of the great success stories of modern film. Working with fellow travelers like Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman and Bjork, Gondry has made his mark on the film landscape with iconic work like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep. Come and enjoy what promises to be a fascinating discussion as Gondry discusses his latest, highly personal and emotionally raw documentary A Thorn in the Heart with TCM’s Elvis Mitchell.

Directing the Dead: Genre Directors Spill Their Guts
How does modern horror take gore beyond the purely grisly to the level of grand guignol art and imagination? How does bone-cracking violence and flesh-rending horror contribute to the hallowed pantheon of art and cinema? Join five of the most striking genre filmmakers in modern movies as they lock horns over the all-important issues of blood, guts and gratuitous gore. Featuring Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland), Matt Reeves (Let Me In) Eli Roth (Hostel), Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds), Ti West (House of the Devil), moderated by Scott Weinberg (Cinematical)

Filmmakers in TV: A Case Study
Carving a niche in the world of film is tough enough, and achieving the same feat on the small screen is no easier. Successfully mastering both is in yet another league, but somehow the creators of HBO’s Eastbound & Down are pulling it off with style. Find out how Danny McBride (Your Highness), and filmmakers David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express) and Jody Hill (Observe and Report) made it look easy in this illuminating, entertaining glimpse at the art of combining technical skill, sharp comedy writing and moving from the packed auditorium to the living room couch.

Continue Reading →

Late yesterday the SXSW Fim Festival, which runs from March 12-20 in Austin, TX, announced the full lineup of films that will be screening at this year’s event. And baby, it’s quite a list. Mixing big name films with intimate indie gems, the sheer number of films and the vast array of talented filmmakers is sure to be a hit with attendees and critics alike.

This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.

For more on the SXSW lineup and these films and everything related to the event, be sure to visit the official SXSW site. The complete press release announcing the lineup follows:

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the complete features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 12 – 20, 2010 in Austin, Texas. Over the course of nine days, 119 features will screen at the festival, with 55 of those having their world premieres at SXSW 2010. These films were selected from a record 1,572 feature-length film submissions composed of 1,206 U.S. and 366 international feature-length films.

Among the major films added to the lineup are: Rogue’s MacGruber, from director Jorma Taccone, Jay & Mark Duplass’ Cyrus, Bernard Rose’s Mr. Nice, Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart, Alexandre O. Philippe’s The People vs. George Lucas, Shane Meadows’ Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee, Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine, Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas’ American: The Bill Hicks Story, Mike Woolf’s Man on A Mission, Jacob Hatley’s Ain’t In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm, Mark Landsman’s Thunder Soul, Daniel Stamm’s Cotton, Chris D’Arienzo’s BARRY MUNDAY, and Floria Sigismondi’s The Runaways.

They join previously announced films such as Opening Night film Kick-Ass, as well as narrative features Cold Weather and Elektra Luxx, and documentaries Hubble 3D, Lemmy, SATURDAY NIGHT and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights.

Continue Reading →

Fans who have been waiting to see if Seth Rogen can really deliver as a masked crusader are one step closer to either breathing a sigh or relief, or eating their proverbial hats. Some brand new set pics have surfaced showing off Rogen taking on the role of Britt Reid’s alter ego, and by the looks of them, he may be emerging as a true pulp hero. While these aren’t the first pics we’ve seen from the film’s set, they are the first we’ve seen of Rogen in the domino mask and fedora.

Written by Rogen and partner Evan Goldberg (Superbad) with Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) sitting in the directors chair. The Green Hornet follows the adventures of Britt Reid, newspaper publisher by day, masked superhero by night, and his sidekick Kato (Jay Chou). Starring alongside Rogen is Edward James Olmos, Cameron Diaz, and Christoph Waltz.

Since the movie doesn’t hit theaters until December 17, 2010, we’ll be seeing plenty more where these came from. In the meantime, check out the brand new, action-packed images of both Rogen and Chou running around in costume after the jump!

Continue Reading →

Seth Rogen’s Green Hornet has been in and out of the news in recent weeks. From the bizarre casting of Edward James Olmos and Nic Cage to the last minute release date from next summer to December of next year. It now looks like we’re getting our first look at some of the cast, with new set photos.

There are only a few photos to check out, thanks to our friends at SuperHeroHype, but they give us a glance at Rogen’s Britt Reid, Cameron Diaz as his squeeze, Lenore Case, and even our very first look at Taiwanese actor Jay Chou as the Hornet’s faithful sidekick, Kato.

Check out the images after the jump, and you’ve got plenty of time before you can see Michel Gondry’s first take on the super hero classic in theaters on December 17, 2010.

Continue Reading →

Even though he didn’t divulge exactly what character he’s going to be playing or very many other details, everyone’s favorite Admiral Edward James Olmos did say he’s joining the cast of the Seth Rogen starrer The Green Hornet. During an appearance this past weekend at Wizard World in Chicago, the Battlestar Galactica star and The Plan director said that he’s definitely in the film — as told to the folks at Hollywood Snitch, who were on-hand for the event.

According to Olmos, he was leaving the convention and pretty much heading to the set to start work — or that’s the way he made it sound at least. Said the actor/director: “I’m on my way to do The Green Hornet. It’ll be a lot of fun with Seth [Rogen], Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz.”

That’s just about as vague as you can get and still be information. Of course, it is news that Olmos will be in the film, so that’s something. Still, it would be nice to find out what character he’s going to be playing. We already know that Asian pop star Jay Chou will be playing Kato in the film, that Nicholas Cage is playing a bad guy and that Cameron Diaz is the love interest. But what of Olmos?

My guess is that he’ll be some sort of authority figure, much as he’s been on BSG and even way back in the Miami Vice days. I’m going to go out on a limb and say he’s a cop in the movie and maybe even a world-weary cop reluctantly forced to allow The Green Hornet to go about his crime fighting business. Along the way they build a grudging respect for one another and finally learn to work together to help save the city they both love. We’ll see if I’m right.

The Green Hornet, directed by Michel Gondry, also stars Seth Rogen, Nicholas Cage, Cameron Diaz and Jay Chou. It hits theaters in 2010.

Director Michel Gondry has started a new “project” on his website, MichelGondry.com, where he will draw a portrait of you from a photo you supply for $19.95 plus shipping. You know his directing work if you’ve ever seen such “indie” films as The Science of Sleep and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He’s also currently working on the not-so-indie Green Hornet. Apparently, he’s also an accomplished artist as well.

From his site:

Michel will personally sketch and sign your portrait based off of the photo that you submit via email. This personalized collectible can also be incorporated onto any item sold through this website. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

So for those of you out there looking for a nice piece of personalized-but-kooky memorabilia from the mind who made legos cool again, head on over and check it out here.