Clip from ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’

Clip from ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’

This one is looking mighty good to me. I’m so ready for more good films. Captain Phillips and Gravity have spoiled me now and I want all my films to be good for the rest of the year (we’ve really had a bummer of a summer as far as I’m concerned, or at least it sure seems that way).

In this new clip from the upcoming film, things get a little bit intense with a crowd of black folks, while the white soldiers train guns on them. Eventually, one fires into the crowd, several more shots are fired. And then we see Idris Elba burning what is apparently his papers of citizenship? I’m given to…

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Original ‘Empire Strikes Back’ Trailer

Original ‘Empire Strikes Back’ Trailer

Oh, hey there. While we’re anxiously waiting for JJ Abrams to decend upon us with the goodness that we presume he will bestow upon us through the next entry into the Star Wars franchise, the official Star Wars YouTube account has given us a little bit of a goody by way of the original trailer for The Empire Strikes Back — by far my favorite Star Wars film to date. But I’ll tell you, man were the trailers bad back in those days. I mean the trailer is just awful. If I were to see anything remotely like this trailer now, I would stay very far away from this film. My how times change.

Check it…

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Joseph Kosinski Has A New Film in the Works

Joseph Kosinski Has A New Film in the Works
Russ Fischer - /Film

Briefly: Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rodgers, writers of the upcoming AMC series Halt & Catch Fire, have written a new action-thriller script that now has Oblivionand Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski set to direct. In fact, Kosinski came up with the story, and then had the screenwriting pair flesh out the script. (Similar to the manner in which Oblivion was developed.)

Providing the money will be Media Rights Capital, the same outfit that financed Elysium and that has been backing some of David Fincher’s recent work, among many other projects.

I’m keeping my eyes open for…

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Marvel Developing More TV Series

Marvel Developing More TV Series
Russ Fischer - /Film

Now the cat is partially out of the bag about Marvel’s next plan for television. (Is this phase two, or the second half of phase one?) The company has several new shows in development, and while we don’t know much about any one of them, we’ll pass along the first info below. Hint: these probably won’t be on ABC.

There’s so little info on the new projects that we’ll just quote straight from Deadline: “Marvel is quietly putting together a package of four drama series and a miniseries — a total of some 60 episodes — that would be taken out to the VOD and cable space, with Netflix, Amazon and…

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‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ International Trailer

‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ International Trailer

I am really not liking the look of this. This is not the Jack Ryan we might remember. This is a retconned version. This looks more like a cousin to the Jason Bourne films than anything — which really just irritates me more than anything else. Jack Ryan was never a superstar hero. But, whatever. I’m sure I’ll watch it and even enjoy it on some level. But some part of me will be sad. This is not the film I thought we would get.

Here’s the summary:

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial…

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‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ TV Spot

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ TV Spot

Let the 75th annual Hunger Games begin! Well, in 36 days anyway. And I’m looking forward to this one a lot. This outing is directed by Francis Lawrence and he’s already said he’s ditching the whole frenetic crazy camera thing. That’s great news as far as I’m concerned.

I really like the story even in I felt the ending could have been a bit stronger. And who knows, maybe they’ll do something a little better with the ending in the films. We’ll see. But I think this film is going to shape up to be a better film than the first one. Just a hunch.

Check out the TV spot:

Malekith Awakens in ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Clip

Malekith Awakens in ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Clip

Our dear Asguardian prince will be battling it out with a new (to me anyway) enemy on November 8th. His name is Malekith the Accursed and he’s leader of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim (do not ask me how to pronouce that for I have no idea). Malekith is played by Christopher Eccleston who I am given to understand is a Doctor Who alum, so you Whovians can go ahead and geek out if you like.

This clip really doesn’t offer any insight into anything other than the fact that apparently, something is awakening Malekith (and his people?).

Go ahead and have a look.

‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ 3 Minute International Trailer

‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ 3 Minute International Trailer

Nope. Stil lnot feeling it. I still can’t muster an ounce of care. It looks silly and hokey and cheesey, etc. But I seem to be the only one. A lot of you seem to be looking foward to this one. So I post this trailer for you.

The film opens on Christmas Day. I sure won’t be seeing it on Christmas Day. I’ll be opening presents with my family and spending time with them!

But enjoy, if you must:

Crew Members Say ‘Captain Phillips’ Is A Big Lie

Crew Members Say ‘Captain Phillips’ Is A Big Lie
Maureen Callahan - New York Post

Capt. Richard Phillips, they say, is no hero, and the film is one big lie.

“Phillips wasn’t the big leader like he is in the movie,” says one crew member, who, for legal reasons, spoke with The Post anonymously. He worked very closely with Phillips on the Maersk Alabama and was alarmed by his behavior from the beginning. Phillips, he says, had a bad reputation for at least 12 years prior, known as a sullen and self-righteous captain.

“No one wants to sail with him,” he says.

That’s a bummer if true, but it sure wouldn’t make a very good film.

Also, who knows how what happened affected…

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Alamo Drafthouse Bans Madonna

Alamo Drafthouse Bans Madonna
Edward Davis - The Playlist

OK so this is kinda rich and you may have heard this story already, but in case you haven’t, well, the irony is just too delicious to pass up. Last week during the New York Film Festival, Madonna was caught texting during Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave.” A painful, brutal, unflinching film about the horrors of slavery starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt and many more. When one audience member called out the Material Girl and asked politely to please stop texting, she had the gall to yell at the person and call them a particular type of 19thcentury tyrant. “It’s for…

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