Roger Ebert once wrote of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita that when he first saw it as a young man, he wanted to be Mastroianni in the film, living it up at parties, drinking exotic booze, and traipsing with potent women. Years later, he felt pity for the empty, carefree life of the character Rubini – that’s the right mindset for something like Project X.

It’s certainly not as great a film, but I imagine the idiot kids going in will identify with the three characters Thomas, Costa, and J.B., even envy them, in a similar manner, while fogeys such as myself will see them for the mongoloid no-good-niks that they are.

The movie doesn’t take a position, or even focus on the kids that much. They’re simply the vessels that wade through escalating nonsense. The party itself is the real protagonist, and director Nima Nourizadeh just wants to see how far it can go, to the point where if they didn’t stuff that midget into the oven, it’d be a tragic loss.

Continue Reading →

Following in the fine tradition of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and comic bok adaptations of other great shows like Battlestar Galactica and more, the CW’s television series Smallville will also live on. That’s right Smallville fans, your favorite show will live on in the form of a new comic book series from DC.

According to DC, the new comic will pick up where the TV series ended and continue the adventures of a young Clark Kent as he comes to grips with being the greatest superhero of all time: The Man of Steel.

Here’s all the scoop on Smallville Season 11 directly from DC:

Written by former Smallville show scribe Bryan Q. Miller, the new digital first series will be published digitally on April 13, 2012, with new digital chapters released weekly thereafter. Additionally, the online chapters will be offered in a print periodical, along with an episode guide to the hit television series, with the first print issue released on May 16.

The new comic book series picks-up where the show left off (with Clark officially now as Superman!) and features other fan-favorite characters including Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Chloe Sullivan-Queen, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and General Lane. The book features an all-star creative team – in addition to Miller, SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 creators include print cover artist Gary Frank (SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN), digital cover artist Cat Staggs and interiors by Pere Perez (BATGIRL).

Continue Reading →

The second stretch of filming for the two-part Hobbit adaptation is set to begin later this month. Even though there has already been over one hundred days of shooting, the final roles are still being cast for parts in the later portions of movie two.

Deadline is reporting that the great Billy Connolly has been cast as Dain Ironfoot, the leader of a fierce band of Dwarf warriors and cousin to Thorin Oakenshield:

We could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of Dwarves, than Billy Connolly, the Big Yin himself. With Billy stepping into this role, the cast of The Hobbit is now complete. We can’t wait to see him on the Battlefield!

It is hard to call this perfect casting before we see Connolly in action, but if it is possible we here at The Flickcast are somehow now even more excited for the final Hobbit film. The next two years are going to be very big for Billy Connolly who has yet to really break out here in the states.

Aside from his role in 2013′s Hobbit finale he will also be providing a pivotal voice in the next Pixar film, Brave.

The second Hangover movie was a success. The movie might have suffered from being to much like the original, but the original was pretty damn awesome, so there was still lots to like. So a third installment seemed likely, and now according to The Hollywood Reporter the final hurdles are being cleared as we speak.

Dealmaking on the studio’s third installment in the raunchy comedy franchise is wrapping up after dragging on for months due in part to the salary demands of its three stars. Sources close to the negotiations say Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms are asking for $15 million each (against backend) to reprise their roles, and they now are likely to get it.

The next Hangover film is said to be a departure from the formula of the first two films. It is risky to stray to far from a proven formula, but knowing that the filmmakers actively want to make a film with these characters that we know and love with out an inexplicable third memory blacked out party is a great sign.

Warner Bros. is hoping to bring the story to Los Angeles, with filming beginning in the summer. Hangover 3 has a tentative release date of Memorial Day 2013.

I didn’t know what to expect. From the endless trailer play The Artist received at the Landmark on Clark, I have to admit I didn’t have much hope. It looked too “artsy,” too cute, too self-important. That’s at least how it seemed. And then the reviews started coming in, and pretty much everyone was talking about it on all the movie podcasts. Still, I was holding out. Everyone could have been deceived by the gimmick of a contemporary silent, black and white film, right?

Of course, my preconceptions were wrong (I still think the trailer mis-markets the film): The Artist is a wonderfully fun and entertaining film, and that makes up for whatever high pretensions it may have. The story is basically the same as Singin’ in the Rain: A successful silent film star struggles to adapt to sound while the woman he loves becomes a huge star.

The year is 1929, the place is Hollywoodland, and the falling star is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a mix of Douglas Fairbanks, Harold Lloyd, and William Powell (and Valentino, too, I guess) with the ruggedly charismatic face of Sean Connery and the natural cheeriness of Gene Kelly. And that description is not lifted from Roger Ebert’s review—I’d be surprised to see a review that didn’t mention it.

Anyway, on his way out the door from his latest premiere, Valentin bumps into one of his fans, the slightly ditzy flapper Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo). He shrugs it off and poses for a quick photo with her.

Continue Reading →

The Holiday Season is a great time for films, but on the cusp of one of the more anticipate years in cinema history, it is the trailers for 2012 films that might be the highlight. One film that fans are eagerly awaiting is Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, sequel to the instant classic that took the world by storm in 2008.

The first long form trailer was released a few weeks ago, and now some adventurous do-gooders have taken upon themselves to recreate the magic in their own “sweded” version of the trailer. Complete with action figure action shots, and an ingenious football stadium collapse scene made with paper cut outs.

The sweded trailer is great, but we implore you to check out their youtube channel. There are more sweded trailers for your viewing pleasure and a really interesting side-by-side that plays the sweded trailer next to the original. It is extremely interesting to see it play with the original right next to it, showing how accurate these guys get with their shot construction and timing.

There are also a couple of funny little jabs at the original hidden within the sweded version of the trailer which is part of why these can be so charming. Particularly, the chanting of “que pasa,” golden stuff. You can check out the sweded Dark Knight Rises Trailer after the jump.

Continue Reading →

Visually Stimulating seems the be the name of the game as we are in the first few days of a brand new year. With films like The Hobbit and Hunger Games taking over the year’s “most anticipated” list, it makes sense that other studios are going to try to pick up the slack and release some very edgy-looking films.

With that in mind, we get the very first trailer for Argentinian director Juan Diego Solanas’ upcoming domestic flick, Upside Down, in which the world is exactly as we know it, except there is an entirely different world that lives directly above us, and they don’t like us very much.

The film stars British heartthrob Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and the sometimes affable Kiersten Dunst as the star-crossed lovers in which this story finds itself circling. Clearly, there is a metaphor to be found in the premise, but we can’t stop thinking how funny it is that Kiersten Dunst is the love interest in an upside down world. A bit “on the nose”.

Take a look at the enticing trailer after the jump, and while you won’t be able to understand the anticipated “In a World” title screens (they’re in French), you will be able to get the gist through dialogue. Enjoy, and catch Upside Down in theaters later this year.

Continue Reading →

There have been a lot of Hobbit related stories in the last few days, including the debut of the first teaser for the film. Now in addition to that first footage we are also getting the first one-sheet for the film, just in time for the Christmas cinema rush.

The poster does a great job evoking the sense of starting a grand adventure, and the focus on just Bilbo in Bag End is appropriate. Compared to the first Lord of the Rings one-sheet that focused on Frodo and the ring, this poster feels right as the beginning of the whole saga. The dutch angle and harsh lighting might seem a rather odd choice at first, but then you realize how off putting an uncomfortable leaving the Shire is for Bilbo and it all makes sense.

Everything we have seen from this movie up to this point has been amazing, it is finally starting to feel like there is a new Peter Jackson directed Tolkien film coming in less than a year. This poster helps set the tone for a two year adventure that brings us back into the glorious world of Middle Earth.

You can see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey next year and the full poster after the jump.

Continue Reading →

There are a lot of big films coming out next year, but the granddaddy of them all has got to be The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The last time Peter Jackson rolled out a Tolkien-based film he brought in over a billion dollars and the largest Oscar sweep in the history of the award. Suffice it to say it’s big news when the first footage hits the web.

The Hobbit is a prequel story to The Lord of the Rings and will be split into two films, each releasing over the next two years. In case you are unaware of what happens in the story, here is a synopsis:

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.”

Check out the full teaser after the jump.

Continue Reading →

2012 is a big year for Ringers, obviously the first part of The Hobbit hits screens, but now they have the arrival of Lord of the Rings LEGO sets and games to look forward to. LEGO has announced that starting the summer of 2012 they are going to be in the Lord of the Rings business.

“Only LEGO, with their expertise in the construction category, is capable of doing justice to the incredibly imaginative environments depicted in the world of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the two films based on THE HOBBIT… These films give life to amazing worlds and characters and we are thrilled to bring fans these products that deliver an imaginative play experience befitting of these beloved properties.”

LEGO has been working with Warner Bros. properties for the last few years with the successful LEGO Harry potter and LEGO DC Universe lines, now one of the most respected film franchises of all time will get their LEGO due. The most exciting aspect of this news is the confirmation of LEGO Lord of the Rings video games. The first game announced is based on the upcoming Hobbit film due out next year.

Check out more details about what to expect from new partnership after the jump.

Continue Reading →

Two of the best filmmakers working today have giant blockbusters planned for 2012. Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott are both bringing continuations of their star making franchises to the big screen. While Nolan is ending his run in the Batman universe with The Dark Knight Rises, Ridley Scott is breathing new life into the dormant Alien franchise with a prequel that may or may not have all that much to do with the previous films.

The Dark Knight Rises poster focuses on Bane walking away from a shattered Batman cowl. This really sells the concept of finality that this film brings. It is also nice to see the filmmakers not shying away from the fact that the character of Bane was created for one purpose, to break the bat.

Prometheus on the other hand is a far more intriguing one-sheet. The large head that dominates the poster raises more questions then can be answered. There are also a lot of small little design choices that echo the fact that this movie is set in the Alien universe. That posters sits rater nicely next to previous Alien films.

Check out both new posters in their full glory after the jump.

Continue Reading →

For those who can’t stop talking, reading, or imagining what Chris Nolan’s ultimate film in the Batman franchise will be like, you’ll be in luck on December 16th, as a specific 16 theaters, all 70mm IMAX capable, will be screening a 6-minute Dark Knight Rises prologue attached to the front of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Deadline‘s got the report.

The prologue for The Dark Knight Rises will not screen with digital Imax or regular digital or 35mm film presentations of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Regular, non-Imax versions of Ghost Protocol open December 21. The list of theaters follows. Moviegoers should confirm theaters will be playing the prologue for The Dark Knight Rises before purchasing tickets.

That last note is especially important, because not many theaters may be supporting this, even if they say they will. Be sure to check out the full list after the jump, and find out which theater works for you, and which to skip when seeing Tom Cruise scale a skyscraper.

Dark Knight Rises hits theaters on July 12, 2012.

Continue Reading →