First trailer for Disney's "Tron" sequel

"(500) Days of Summer" - REVIEW

There is a scene in "Shakespeare in Love" (don't worry, just go with it) in which Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) asks to a room of people if a play can, "truly show us the nature of love?" That film took place at the end of the 1500s and was released in 1998. Now, several centuries later in movie-time and 11 years later in our world, maybe a play hasn't shown us an honest look at love, but perhaps a movie has.

That movie is Marc Webb's "(500) Days of Summer", which is one of those rare romantic comedies that is a delight from start to finish. Though told semi-linearly, we actually open around day (290) in the relationship between Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). Such an opening would seem to be strange, or disorienting on paper, but that's the beauty of Webb's film. Even as it jumps forward and backward and forward again, we never lose track with names or faces or plot devices; the story revolves entirely around Tom and Summer's interaction, and as such it's impossible to feel disoriented or lost. And while part of the credit goes to the editor, this lovely little film wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the screenplay, which wisely has a lot of laughs and never weighs them down, even in the less-than-happy moments. And of course, the crowning acheivment(s), even more so than the script or Webb's direction are the performances from the two leads. They play off of each other with ease, with Levitt's quiet normality and Deschanel's adorability used to maximum effect. Perhaps in the film's finest moment, we see them enter a dark period in their relationship, and we're introduced to it via a sublime parody of black and white avant garde films, topped off with a hysterical nod to Ingmar Bergman. Even in its "darkest" moments, it never become weighty or tries to make itself into something melodramatic. The levity is maintained, albeit somewhat bitter-sweetly, the entire way through. And yet somehow, it still has a feeling a reality to it, without going too far. The unpredictability of people in relationships, particularly two people as different as Tom and Summer (he believes in fate and love, she thinks it's all hogwash) is rendered beautifully, but not overdone; we aren't forced to listen to a 10 minute conversation between the two of them about whether love exists or not...we get to see it and make up our own minds.

As far as artistic and technical aspects, there's nothing much to rave about aside from the soundtrack, which is brilliantly utilized...and on a non-artistic note, the two actors who play Tom's closest friends are both very well done with what little time they have on screen (one in particular, is hilarious). But in the end it all comes down to Deschanel and especially Levitt to carry the movie, and they do it effortlessly. So effortlessly, in fact, that you may not want to leave the film's little world even when the credits start to roll. And in a summer drenched with loud special effects bonanzas and a few stuffy period pieces, that's more than a little refreshing to find.

Grade: A-

It's coming....

Please don't be lying to us Gary Oldman...

Source: CHUD.com

They (Gary Oldman and the fine folks at Warner Bros.) just announced at Comic Con thatBatman 3 will begin shooting in 2010. We don't know who will be behind the lens (Nolan's looking pretty booked), who the villain will be, what the title will be, or if it'll be the further evolution of a smarter look at Batman or if dollar signs rule the day.

August 21st is "Avatar" Day!

SAN DIEGO - James Cameron originally wrote "Avatar" as a way to challenge the special-effects firm Digital Domain, where he served as chief executive. But it took technology 14 years to catch up with his vision of a faraway planet populated by otherwordly plants and animals where humans embody avatars just to brave the landscape.

"In the same way that I wrote 'Terminator' just to get a directing gig, I decided to write a story that was full of creatures and characters that would push the art of CG for that company," he said. But after artists there said it couldn't be done, Cameron shelved the idea.

Ten years later, when he realized technology had caught up with his cinematic visions, he dusted off the concept and helped develop technology to make it work. On Thursday, he presented world-premiere footage of his progress to more than 6,000 fans at Comic Con.

The "Titanic" director showed more than 20 minutes of footage from the film.

"Avatar" introduces viewers to the planet of Pandora, where the lithe, blue, indigenous Navi people inhabit a lush and wondrous place dense with green forests, fluorescent pink flowers, bizarre hammerhead dinosaurs and flying dragons. Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a soldier on duty there, and Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri, the Navi princess who befriends him.

Saldana learned the fictional Navi language and studied with a dialect coach to perfect a Navi accent on her English.

"I'm from Queens," the actress said.

Sigourney Weaver, who plays botanist Grace Augustine, studied the fictional flora and fauna of Pandora to prepare for her role.

"Every single plant and creature has come out of this crazy person's head," she said, pointing to Cameron.

A longtime sci-fi fan who likens himself to the average Comic Con conventioneer, Cameron said "Avatar" is more than just a fantastic tale 14 years in the making.

"The technology could be made (for it) to happen, but also (it) was just wanting to do something, I don't want to say important," he told fans. "But something that has this spoonful of sugar of all the action and the adventure and all that, which thrills me anyway as a fan, but also wanting to do something that has a conscience, that maybe in the enjoying of it makes you think a little bit about the way you interact with nature and your fellow man."

It may seem like a simple story about "nasty" humans fighting with "those beautifully, spiritually evolved Navi," he said. "But it's really not, because we make science fiction as human beings for human consumption."

"It means the Navi represent something that is our higher selves, or our aspirational selves, what we would like to think we are or maybe what we realize we're losing," he said. "And the humans in the film, even though there are some good ones salted in, represent what we know to be the parts of ourselves that are trashing our world and maybe condemning ourselves to a grim future."

He announced that fans worldwide could see 15 minutes of the film for free on "Avatar Day," Aug. 21. The film is set to open Dec. 18. Comic Con continues at the San Diego Convention Center through Sunday.

First trailer: "The Book of Eli" (2010)

Well...disturbing similarities to "The Road" aside, it looks interesting. I'm just worried about the release date; January is a notorious dumping ground for films that studios simply want to get rid of...

First poster: "Jonah Hex" (2010) with Josh Brolin and Megan Fox

New poster for "Shutter Island"