Vin Diesel releases another new Riddick image

February 9, 2013, 2:29 am

≫ Next: Dressing Abe: Joanna Johnston talks about Lincoln

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Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious 6) has taken to Facebook once more to deliver another new shot of him in character as the anti-hero Richard B. Riddick in writer-director David Twohy's forthcoming sci-fi action sequel Riddick, which you can see right here:

"The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty. The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy."

Joining Diesel for the third instalment in The Chronicles of Riddick franchise is Karl Urban (Star Trek Into Darkness), who reprises his role as Vakko, while franchise newcomers include Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica), Jordi Molla (Colombiana), Bokeem Woodbine (Total Recall), Dave Bautista (The Man with the Iron Fists) and Nolan Gerard Funk (Glee).

Riddick is set for a North American release on September 6th, with a UK date yet to be confirmed.

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Dressing Abe: Joanna Johnston talks about Lincoln

February 9, 2013, 4:27 am

≫ Next: The Week in Spandex - The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Iron Man 3, Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Incredible Hulk and more

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Trevor Hogg chats with Joanna Johnston about her Academy Award-nominated costume design work for Lincoln...

“Steven [Spielberg] asked me to do it when we were doing War of the Worlds and that was 2005,” explains Joanna Johnston as to when she first became involved with the long in development biopic on American President Abraham Lincoln.  “I had heard mumblings about it before then.  I remember the moment he asked me to do it and it was like I had won the jackpot.  In my mind it was an amazing production at that stage and also I’m British so I thought that might work against me. From then I didn’t do much.  I did some budget stuff over the years while it went through different configurations, chapters of digestion.  We got the final green light go at the end of 2010; it was going to shoot the following autumn.  I had just taken another film so I had to slightly dovetail at the end of  Jack the Giant Slayer [2013] and latch onto Lincoln (2012); it was quite tight.”  Not being American did not hinder the costume design process.  “Good designers should be able to put their hand in anything whether it’s something on their doorstep or in another territory.  There is something about an objective view point.  If something is over familiar you have to re-educate yourself to look at it again.  People do get protective about their national heroes and I would completely understand if Steven or a director would say, ‘This is more of a national thing.’”

An Irish actor who previously collaborated with Steven Spielberg on Schindler’s List (1993) was originally attached to play the title character.  “We did do an early test with Liam Neeson [Taken] which was more to do with prosthetics,” states Joanna Johnston who focused her attention on the actor hired to replace Neeson, Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Foot).  “All I was doing with Liam was putting clothes on him that were of the ilk, not right on the money, with something that already existed.  With Daniel I started with the process of making everything such as his frock coat.”  Black and white images served as key visual references.  “I did 95 per cent of my research on photographs because they gave me more information.  What you get from paintings are the colours but I took liberties with the colours on the men.  I gave them these slight hues.  The men’s frock coats are usually black and I did tell Steven that it would be dense with all of those frock coats just in black.  We dyed an enormous amount of clothes in different dark colours to give it arc and curve. For Lincoln, in my head originally, I was thinking about a dark green but in fact I went for this dark walnut brown colour which seemed right as I liked the warmth of it.  The warmth of it helped the character of the man which was one of the subtleties of the cloth.”

“The hat is a great part of Lincoln,” says Joanna Johnston.  “We researched Lincoln’s actual hat so we knew what it was but then rest of it I made to work for Daniel.  You’re tweaking it.  You’re not doing everything as an exact reproduction.  You’re making your own take.”  The number of costumes made for Daniel Day-Lewis was influenced by Lincoln being a dialogue driven story.  “Not that many because he doesn’t do anything physically strenuous in that film.  The most strenuous thing he does is ride a horse.  Normally we would be doing repetitions of somebody going into the rain, getting shot, or going through mud or getting attacked by somebody; it was not that kind of film.  But normally most films you’re doing large repetitions.”  The native of Britain notes, “It didn’t make it easier because it was a big film to man which had a more expansive film of speaking parts than I have ever heard of.  If it had been an action film on top of what it was that would have been pretty tough.”

“I researched on Mary Todd and she was my main woman,” remarks Joanna Johnston.  “I did some very easy research into her favourite colours which were violet, pink, purple, blue and cream.  Mary Todd had a strong sense of what she liked colour wise.”  Physical alternations were required so to meet the needs of the storytelling.  “The character of the actor is enormous.  You have to create the illusion of something which maybe slightly different from the actor’s physicality so that is part of the process; you’re shifting it in the construction to give the illusion of something which maybe different from what it is.  In my example of Lincoln is Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.  Sally Field is slight in build whereas Mary Todd Lincoln was quite plump.  Sally put on weight but also in the design I had to give the sense that she was plumper than she was.  You’re always doing things like that.  The clothes are the foundation of the character as they are saying who this person is the whole time, particularly, for the audience.”  Johnston adds, “Mary Todd Lincoln was the most time consuming but it was fantastic and she had more costume changes than most.  Mary Todd Lincoln was a great dresser; she had an extensive wardrobe.”

There are a number of lingering shots in Lincoln which did not complicate matters.  “The way I run things I work on the premise that it is a long shot on everything,” states Joanna Johnston.  “You never know until the camera starts because the director can change his mind at any given moment.”  Incorporating extra detail is important in the design of the costumes.  “I definitely work on that premise of putting quite a lot of subtle information in there which helps the actor and I enjoy that process.  If you see it, that’s great.  If you don’t see it well I put it there and it’s within.  You just don’t know.  It’s a roll of the dice really.  You may put in an incredible detail in a dress and may not get a full-length shot.  There are so many factors for that.  You work on the premise that everything is going to be seen as a full aspect at any time and that would include extras as well.  I always get worried.  They’ll go, ‘We’ll cut corners on the extras.’  But you never know.  You might suddenly get an extra in a close-up shot right next to a principle.  I personally work, and lot of other designers do, to a full execution of costumes with detail.”

When dealing with historical subject matter a balance has to be achieved between authentic and cinematic pleasing.  “You just find it.  You work from your gut,” observes Joanna Johnston who has been involved with costume design since Death on the Nile (1978).  “That’s the great thing for having done it for some years.  You listen to your gut and go with it and your instincts are hopefully good.  You’re not doing a documentary or recreation, you’re giving the essence.  It’s funny as a designer you’re always working incredibly fast.   You don’t often question it in yourself too much.  You’re always driving yourself to finishing each of these costumes and you’re either turning up or down the dial or kicking it off sideways.  With Lincoln you needed to be in a particular framework because these characters of which Abraham Lincoln where everybody knows what he looks like.  It’s like cooking a meal you put in your own personal mix.  You’re coming up with the appropriate finale to suite that project.”

“I had some extraordinary exemplary people who I worked with and that made the whole thing possible,’ states Joanna Johnston.  “Working with a director, who I know very well, and also all of Steven’s key heads of departments; we’ve worked together a lot the assistant director, production designer, the cinematographer, the producer.  All of those people. Kathleen Kennedy [E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial].  There’s a shorthand that we all have and there is a lot of trust between us. There’s isn’t a development of relationship so we could cut straight through all of those things because of our history with each other which is a huge asset on something like that where we were racing against time.”  Johnston points out, “It wasn’t about what Steven was looking for; he wanted it to look like as I did which is real.  It was about the historical people whom we were depicting; that’s why I worked from these photographs which were so fantastic.  Lincoln was so widely photographed and that was my big study, was studying Lincoln.  I could see the weight of the cloth, the volume of how the clothes sat on him; we were obsessed with this void between his body and where the cloth fell.  If you look at somebody in portraiture in a good photograph you can tell a lot about the person by studying how the clothes are assembled and constructed.”

“It depends on the project and what the project is requiring,” states Joanna Johnston as to the decision to make costumes look new or worn.  “Often it can when you’re making costumes straight out of the workshop and straight out onto the actor they do have that pristine quality that makes them look very new.  Now, often times that is good.  You are sometimes wanting that a pristine look but a lot of the work I do it needs to be more blended in with the body and have a sense of weathering with that person.  That’s a whole lot of process often which goes into the making of the costume to give it a life of its own so that it hadn’t just jumped off the cutting room table.” For her efforts, the veteran costume designer has received her first BATFA and Oscar nominations.  “I think probably the subject matter.  Lincoln is a big iconic person and you can’t get much higher than that; he’s somebody who people idolize and look up to in America.  It’s probably got caught up with all of that.  I don’t know.  If it was a film about a poet, at the same date, who had the same costume minus Lincoln would it have had the same momentum?  I don’t know.  It’s hard to say what it is that captures the Academy’s eye at any one given time.  It could be something completely different next year.”  Contemplating her work on Lincoln, Johnston concludes, “Everything was challenging.  I was happy with everything because it all merges.  There aren’t things that jump out.  Obviously, the female dresses jump out more against the men.  It seems to be well bound together and I’m glad for that.”

Production stills, photographs of Joanna Johnston and costume design sketches provided by Disney.

Many thanks to Joanna Johnston for taking the time for this interview.

Make sure to visit the official website for Lincoln and read our Steve Spielberg profile titled Encountering Spielberg.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.

The Week in Spandex - The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Iron Man 3, Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Incredible Hulk and more

February 9, 2013, 4:55 am

≫ Next: Paranormal Activity 2 helmer Tod Williams to direct Stephen King's Cell

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Our weekly round up of all the latest stories from the world of screen superheroes, including The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, S.H.I.E.L.D., Planet Hulk, The Avengers 3, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Justice League, Arrow, Young Justice, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, LEGO Batman: The Movie - DC Superheroes Unite, Superman: Unbound, Ultimate Spider-Man, Iron Man: Rise of Technovore and more...

Although the 2013 superhero movie season doesn't begin for a few months yet, cameras have already started rolling on one of next year's big comic book adaptations, with filming on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 getting underway this past week in New York City. Coinciding with the start of the shoot was an official synopsis from Sony:

"In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, for Peter Parker, life is busy – between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen, high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn’t forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away – but that’s a promise he just can’t keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro, emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn, returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past..."

...While we're yet to see any spy photos, director Marc Webb has been posting a series of behind-the-scenes images on his Twitter, and while they're mostly unrevealing, one shot has led to speculation that Eddie Brock / Venom could be set to make an appearance in the sequel, where he'd an increasing roster of Spidey villains that includes Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained) as Electro and Paul Giamatti (Sideways) as the Rhino; also set to feature alongside the returning Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker / Spider-Man), Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy) and Sally Field (Aunt May) are Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) as Mary-Jane Watson and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle) as Harry Osborn, while Colm Feore (24, Thor) has also been announced as joining the cast in an unspecified role. We know Oscorp is set to feature heavily once again, so could Feore be playing Norman Osborn? If so, that's a hell of a lot of bad guys for one film, and like Chris Cooper stated in his opinion piece here on Flickering Myth this week, we could be just a Peter Parker dance routine away from a Spider-Man 3 scenario...

...Shifting to this year's releases and Disney and Marvel Studios debuted two new TV spots for Iron Man 3 during last weekend's Super Bowl, which gave us a look at the plane rescue sequence glimpsed at last year in a series of spy photos from the Wilmington set, as well as an 'extended look' from Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, which also featured some new footage from the Shane Black-directed solo sequel. According to a survey conducted by MovieTickets, the Iron Man 3 TV spot ranked the highest of all the Super Bowl spots, which included previews of Fast & Furious 6, Star Trek Into Darkness, Oz the Great and Powerful, World War Z, The Lone Ranger,Snitch and 21 and Over. If for some reason you're yet to see the Iron Man 3 TV spots, you can check out here, or head over to ComicBookMovie for a series of hi-res screengrabs...

...In other Marvel Phase Two news, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Bullet to the Head) has offered up a few more thoughts about his dual role as Algrim the Strong and Kurse in director Alan Taylor's (Game of Thrones) Thor: The Dark World during interviews with Hero Complex and Media Mikes, while Chris Evans has revealed that he's yet to receive the script for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which has led to speculation that filming on Cap's second solo adventure could be pushed back until June. Evans also went on to state that the Captain America sequel will feature cameos from other Avengers, which is presumably in addition to the already confirmed Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)...

...After an arduous search that saw virtually every actor in Hollywood linked to the role, Marvel Studios and director James Gunn (Super) have finally found their leader for Guardians of the Galaxy, with Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Zero Dark Thirty) securing the part of Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord. Pratt's casting brings an end to intense speculation about the role, with the actor apparently fending off competition from the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire), John Krasinski (The Office), Zachary Levi (Thor: The Dark World), Lee Pace (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables), Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville), Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games), Chris Lowell (The Help) and Cam Gigandet (Priest). So, one Guardian down, four more to go...

...Looking further ahead to Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and British filmmaker Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) has spoken about his long-gestating Ant-Man adaptation, which is set to hit cinemas on November 6th, 2015: "It’s a way of doing a superhero film within another genre... I wanted to tell an origin tale in a slightly different way. It’s part of the Marvel cinematic universe, but it also feels like its own piece... I’ve been collaborating with Kevin Feige during the whole [development] cycle. I think people have always assumed… ‘Oh why is it taking so long to make?’ Part of it is because I wanted to make two other movies first. I wanted to make World’s End… me and Simon [Pegg] were very keen to make it and it felt like it was unfinished business and we wanted to wrap up the trilogy... But to be honest, the later I do [Ant-Man], it feels like I could learn more, especially about special effects. It’s a big effects movie, so I’m pleased to go into it having done Scott Pilgrim and The World’s End because you’re always learning more about that side..."

...Presumably, we've still got a bit of a wait on our hands before we learn who'll be playing Hank Pym in Ant-Man, and while there have been rumours that Alan Tudyk (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) could be in the frame to portray the miniature superhero, the former Firefly star has moved to play down the speculation during a recent interview with Hypable: "I've heard about [the Ant-Man rumours], but no. I'm a fan of ants, but no." Tudyk also went on to deny he's set to guest star in Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot, which is currently being directed by Joss Whedon: "I just saw Joss the other day. I just went and checked out the… what is that show they’re doing? S.H.I.E.L.D. Not SWAT. Shows how much I know about it. I just happened to be on the lot where they were shooting, and I was leaving and a Firefly fan was there who worked on the lot, and they asked if I was there to see S.H.I.E.L.D. And I was like, ‘what? They’re here?!’ So I texted Jed Whedon and was like, ‘where the hell are you?’ And I went by and Joss was there, it was very cool..."

...If rumours are to be believed, The Incredible Hulk will be taking centre stage in Phase Three of the MCU, with El Mayimbe of Latino Review dropping a 'scoop' during last weekend's Super Bowl by claiming that the studio has plans to adapt the Planet Hulk storyline for The Incredible Hulk 2, leading to a World War Hulk adaptation for The Avengers 3. So far, Marvel has refused to respond to the report, although Kevin Feige has previously teased the possibility of both comic book stories being adapted for the screen post-The Avengers 2...

...As Bryan Singer gears up for a return to the X-Men universe for next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past, the filmmaker has been speaking to MTV about the possibility of using the same motion-capture technology from his upcoming fairytale adventure Jack the Giant Slayer on the forthcoming sequel: "I definitely want to use this technology again, and I might even be using some of it in a different way in X-Men. I don't wanna say how, yet, but I'm definitely using some of this technology on X-Men which I never used in any of the other X-Men films."Considering said motion-capture technology was used to realise the giants in Jack the Giant Slayer, there's a pretty good chance Singer could be talking about the mutant-hunting Sentinels, but the director refused to confirm whether he's planning on creating a fully CGI character: "That's the thing I don't want to talk about. I'm not sure. I'm doing research on it now..."

...Having recently been confirmed as joining the cast of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Shawn Ashmore spoke to IGN about returning to the role of Iceman: "When I heard it was Days of Future Past I knew it was time travel, but the only time I ever really thought, ‘Oh, maybe I’m actually going to be a part of this' is when Bryan came back to direct. And that's just because we have a relationship and had worked together before. I just thought, ‘Oh, maybe Bryan would want to bring back some of the people he worked with before.’ I haven’t read the script, but I have a very good idea of what’s happening and what my role is. I know, but I’m sworn to secrecy... I think the take on the story is really interesting. I think that Days of Future Past, as any X-Men fan knows, is a great arc. I love the idea of combining and bringing some cohesion to the two timelines that are happening now. I think that’s exciting. Obviously the X-Men: First Class cast is incredible, and having Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman interact with other cast members is going to be really exciting. Not only is the combination of the cast going to be really cool, but the story itself is going to be really fun." Days of Future Past is gearing up to go into production, with a cast that also includes James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Anna Paquin (Rogue) and Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde)...

...While Disney, Sony and Fox seem to be moving full steam ahead with their various Marvel properties, the same cannot be said for Warner Bros. and its stable of DC Comics characters; although the studio has Zack Snyder's Superman reboot Man of Steel set to arrive in cinemas this summer, it seems the long-rumoured Justice League adaptation has hit a brick wall, with reports emerging this week that WB has decided to pull the plug on Will Beall's (Gangster Squad) script for the superhero ensemble, which has been described as "half-baked" and "terrible", and is allegedly the reason why Warner Bros. has been unable to secure a director for the project. According to El Mayimbe, Ben Affleck (Argo) was offered the gig (despite Affleck's numerous denials), with the studio also allegedly keen for him to step in front of the camera too by succeeding Christian Bale as the rebooted Dark Knight. Meanwhile, with Warner Bros. heading back to the drawing board for Justice League, acclaimed writer-producer Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series) responded to a tweet suggesting he should script the project: "Sorry. Went that route w/ Batman Beyond. Ick. If I write a superhero flick it's with my own character. Less expectation, more fun..."

...There's obviously plenty of apprehension within Warner Bros. about bringing Justice League to the screen, but it's not just confined to the studio; speaking to SciFiNow, 20th Century Fox's Marvel consultant Mark Millar stated his belief that any attempt to assemble DC's iconic team of superheroes is simply a recipe for disaster: "I actually think the big problem for them is the characters are just too out of date. The characters were created 75 years ago, even the newest major character was created 68 years ago, so they’re in a really weird time. Now the stuff I grew up with… I adored the DC stuff growing up but really, how do you do a movie about Green Lantern? His power is that he manifests green plasma from his imagination and uses them as weapons against someone? Even that in itself if you just imagine then watching a fight scene with a guy who’s like a hundred feet away making plasma manifestations fight someone – it’s not exactly raucous, getting up close and personal. The Flash has door handles on the side of his mask and if he doesn’t wear that mask, I’ll be pissed off, you know what I mean? They’re in a weird, weird situation – if you’ve got a guy who moves at the speed of light up against the Weather Wizard and Captain Cold or whatever, then your movie’s over in two seconds... You can get away with stuff in comics that in live action’s just a bit sucky – the best one is definitely Aquaman. Aquaman can’t even talk under water. If you think about it in comics it’s fine, you just have a speech balloon, but how do you have Atlantis and people talking under water? Are they gonna talking telepathically? Is it going to be body forms? The actual logistics of each member of the Justice League is disastrous, and you put them all together and I think you get an excellent way of losing $200 million..."

...During an interview with Collider, Jude Law (Road to Perdition, Side Effects) was asked whether he had any interest in appearing in Justice League or one of Marvel's forthcoming Phase Two movies: "That’s a good idea. I mean, I’m quite interested at the moment, nothing's lined up, but I’m quite interested at the moment to do something a little more action-y, I’ve done quite a few quite cerebral, period movies and I’d quite like to do something like that... I’m a massive comic book fan. I was buying weekly installments of Watchmen, and From Hell, and Parallax and Johnny Nemo. I was a huge comic book fan as a kid and I still am, I still am to a degree... Yeah, it’s definitely something I would like to get involved in if, again if the director’s right and the piece is right and the part is right. I was sad not to be a part of Watchmen when they made the movie, but I was busy doing something else..."

...Moving to the small screen and The CW has released a new extended promo for this week's episode of the hit superhero series Arrow, along with an official episode synopsis: "After Oliver (Stephen Amell) is shot, he turns to a surprising person for help – Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). Diggle (David Ramsey) is stunned when he sees Felicity walk through the front door of the lair dragging a dying Oliver behind her, and the two team up to save Oliver’s life. As Oliver (Stephen Amell) hovers between life and death, he flashes back to a seminal event on the island – a daring escape attempt with his new friend Slade Wilson (guest star Manu Bennett)." Ahead of his introduction, Spartacus: War of the Damned star Manu Bennett discussed his role as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in an interview with ET Online, while two future guest stars have also been announced, with Chin Han (The Dark Knight) set to portray Frank Chen, "a successful businessman and old friend of the Queen family" who is also a member of Malcom Merlyn's (John Barrowman) mysterious group 'The Undertaking', and Grammy nominated musician Steve Aoki set to feature as himself in the episode 'The Huntress Returns'...

...In addition to a recurring guest star role on Arrow as China White, Kelly Hu also lends her voice to the character of Cheshire on Young Justice, and the actress took a moment to discussion Cartoon Network's recent cancellation of the popular series during an interview with MTV Geek; of course, Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series still have their respective seasons to finish up before the axe falls, so as always be sure to head on over to The World's Finest for clips and images from this weekend's episodes, along with the latest DC Nation Short, Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld – Level 4: The Turquoise...

...Warner Bros. has announced that regular Lex Luthor voice Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption) will attend the premiere of LEGO Batman: The Movie - DC Superheroes Unite at The Paley Center for Media in New York on Monday evening, following which he'll take part in a discussion panel featuring Batman and Superman voice actors Troy Baker (Bioshock Infinite, Batman: Arkham City) and Travis Willingham (Avengers Assemble, The Super Hero Squad Show), along with director/producer Jon Burton and director of photography Jeremy Pardon. If you'd like to attend the premiere and Q&A, a limited number of tickets are available to fans on a first come, first served basis; for more details, see here...

...WB has also revealed that the next entry in the DC Universe Original Animated Movies series, Superman: Unbound, will receive a North American release on May 7th, as well as debuting the Blu-ray cover art and an updated synopsis for the direct-to-video feature: "Based on the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank 2008 release 'Superman: Brainiac,' Superman: Unbound finds the horrific force responsible for the destruction of Krypton – Brainiac – descending upon Earth. Brainiac has crossed the universe, collecting cities from interesting planets – Kandor, included – and now the all-knowing, ever-evolving android has his sights fixed on Metropolis. Superman must summon all of his physical and intellectual resources to protect his city, the love of his life, and his newly-arrived cousin, Supergirl. The film’s stellar voice cast is led by Matt Bomer (White Collar) as Superman, John Noble (Fringe, The Lord of the Rings films) as Brainiac, Stana Katic (Castle) as Lois Lane and Molly Quinn (Castle) as Supergirl..."

...Shifting to Marvel's animated offerings and this weekend's episode of Ultimate Spider-Man sees a guest appearance from one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes as Hawkeye teams up with Spider-Man to tackle The Beetle. Hawkeye is voiced by LEGO Batman's Troy Baker, who will also voice the character in the upcoming animated series Avengers Assemble. Watch a clip from the 'Hawkeye' episode here...

...And finally, another Avenger is getting the animated treatment this Spring with the release of the direct-to-video movie Iron Man: Rise of Technovore, and Marvel has released six new images from the anime-inspired feature, featuring shots of Iron Man (voiced by Matthew Mercer; Resident Evil Damnation), The Punisher (voiced by Norman Reedus; The Walking Dead), Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury and War Machine. Iron Man: Rise of Technovore is set for a North American release on April 16th, while the Armored Avenger also teams up with the Green Goliath on April 23rd with the arrival of another animated movie, Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United, paving the way for Tony Stark's live-action return in Iron Man 3.

Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen - Available now via Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Gary Collinson

Paranormal Activity 2 helmer Tod Williams to direct Stephen King's Cell

February 9, 2013, 6:44 am

≫ Next: Dungeons & Dragons and Tarzan swing into the spotlight for IDW Publishing

≪ Previous: The Week in Spandex - The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Iron Man 3, Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Incredible Hulk and more

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A movie adaptation of Stephen King's apocalyptic horror novel Cell has been on the cards from the moment the book was first published in 2006, with Eli Roth (Hostel) originally attached to write and direct before passing on the project in favour of Hostel: Part II. However, last year it was announced that Stephen King had co-written a script with Adam Alleca (The Last House on the Left), with John Cusack subsequently signing on for what will be his third King adaptation after Stand By Me and 1408.

Now the project has attracted a director, with Screen Daily reporting that Tod Williams (whose previous credits include The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, The Door in the Floor and the hit horror sequel Paranormal Activity 2)has signed on to direct Cell for Cargo Entertainment, with filming expected to begin in May. "Tod is a dynamic filmmaker whose work has been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful," said Cargo's CEO Marina Grasic. "He brings a unique and exciting vision to Cell that will appeal to audiences worldwide."

Here's the official book description for Cell:

Artist Clayton Riddell had been in Boston negotiating a successful deal to sell his comic book project. His joy at finally hitting it big is shattered by an event called The Pulse which causes all those who were using their cell phones at the time of The Pulse to become zombies attacking and killing anyone in their way. Fortunately for Clay, he does not own a cell phone. In the panic to get out of Boston and find his way home to his wife and son in Maine, he is joined by Tom McCourt, a man he meets in the meleé immediately following The Pulse and a young girl, Alice, who they rescue from being killed by one of the “crazies.” The story follows their terrifying journey, avoiding capture—and worse—by the “crazies” who are beginning to “flock” and are led by one they call Raggedy Man as they attempt to reach Maine and a place called Kashwak which they hope will be their salvation. 

In addition to Cell, fans of Stephen King also have several adaptations to look forward to this year, including a remake of Carrie starring Chloe Grace Moretz (Dark Shadows) and Julianne Moore (Game Change), along with a TV series based upon Under the Dome, which is co-produced by King and Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) and is set to begin airing on CBS later in the year.

Dungeons & Dragons and Tarzan swing into the spotlight for IDW Publishing

February 9, 2013, 8:39 am

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IDW Publishing has announced a new Dungeons & Dragons miniseries and a collection celebrating the Tarzan comic strips of Russ Manning.  First to arrive is the five-issue Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter written by R.A. and Geno Salvatore with art by David Baldeon and covers by Steve Ellis.  The official synopsis for the tale which revolves around a legendary sword reads:  

When the battle-hardened Drow renegade Tos’un must choose an heir to his legacy, his half-Drow son Tierflin and daughter Doum’weille become locked in vicious competition. But what will the prize, the bloodthirsty sword Khazid’hea, have to say on the matter?

“These comic series have become a wonderful tool for me to fill in the blanks and to crystallize my thoughts on the Legend of Drizzt novels going forward,” explains R.A. Salvatore. “The fallout from the twisting events in Neverwinter Tales not only came into play in the last couple of Drizzt books, but allowed me a strong plot line for an upcoming novel I’ve yet to pen. The same is true for Cutter– I see it already. So while these comic stories are self-contained, they open up to the wider stories going forward.”

Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter arrives in stores on April 17, 2013.

In May, the King of the Jungle created by Edgar Rice Burroughs gets the Library of America Comics treatment with a four-volume series titled Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips.  Volumes 1 to 3 will cover all of Manning's daily black & white and full-colour Sunday strips from 1967 to 1974 while Volume 4 carries on to 1979 featuring the remaining Sunday strips.

“The addition of Tarzan to the Library of American Comics amplifies even further that the imprint is the premier archival home for comic strip reprints and collections,” says IDW’s President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Goldstein. “Russ Manning’s Tarzan run is one of the real highlights of the modern age of adventure strips and we are extremely excited to be the home of its long-anticipated return to print.”  A number of future comics greats assisted Manning in telling the adventures of Viscount Greystoke including Dave Stevens, William Stout, and Mike Royer.  “Russ Manning was a natural storyteller," writes William Stout in his introduction of Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Vol. 1: 1967 – 1969.  "He may also be one of the most underrated writers in comics. His beautiful art is so captivating that it’s easy to understand how it might overshadow his scripts. He was as adept with telling Tarzan tales in contemporary Africa as he was setting Ape Man stories in dinosaur-infested Pal-ul-don.”

Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Vol. 1: 1967 – 1969 arrives in stores on May 29, 2013.

Uncanny Avengers enter the Age of Ultron in Uncanny Avengers #8AU

February 9, 2013, 8:55 am

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May will see Marvel releasing Uncanny Avengers #8AU which features the talents of writers Rick Remender and Gerry Duggan, and artist Adam Kubert.

The Uncanny Avengers must band together and make their way throughout this new dystopian world. But when The Apocalypse Twins and Kang are involved, will they make it out of the Age of Ultron in one piece? And when Havok and Rogue set off to save the Morlocks, what secret will Rogue unearth about the Twin’s hidden past?

“We’ve been setting up the role of Apocalypse, the Apocalypse Twins in the Marvel Universe, and with this issue readers get their first in-depth look at them AND a MAJOR  reveal in regards to Kang's involvement in it all,” explained Remender. “It also hints at a big future romance we're developing. Do not miss this issue.” Gerry Duggan is excited about contributing to the tale about a robotic revolution which threatens the entire Marvel Universe.  “When Rick first told me about the Uncanny Avengers I was floored - it's such a fun book with so many threads are being woven together. Fans are only starting to see the hints of where this run is going,” explained Duggan. “Age of Ultron asks one of the greatest questions fans have been wondering for decades, what if Ultron won?! And throughout the event, people are going to love seeing these dominoes and characters fall. The story I’m cooking up with Rick and Adam is a fun, but important story that marries two timelines, and I'm just thrilled to be a part of it in some small way.”

Uncanny Avengers #8AU with cover art by Jimmy Cheung goes on sale in May 2013.

Hyperion Books devotes two novels to Avengers' She-Hulk and X-Men's Rogue

February 9, 2013, 9:20 am

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June will take on a female superhero twist when Hyperion Books and Marvel Entertainment combine forces to publish two books that explore the personal trials and tribulations of being a female superhero.  The official press release states:

In The She-Hulk Diaries, Jennifer Walters, aka She Hulk, juggles climbing the corporate ladder by day and battling villains and saving the world by night—all while trying to navigate the dating world to find a Mr. Right who might not mind a sometimes-very big and green girlfriend.

Rogue Touch, features one of the most popular X-Men characters, Rogue, a young woman trying to navigate the challenges of everyday life and romance—except that her touch is deadly.  After accidentally putting her first boyfriend in a coma, she runs away from home where, she meets the handsome and otherworldly James and sparks fly. Like Rogue, however, James’ life is hardly simple. To elude his mysterious and dangerous family, James shaves his head, dons all black. Stealing a car, they head out on the highway and eventually, Rogue has to decide whether she will unleash her devastating powers in order to save the only man alive who seems to truly understand her.   

“Marvel has had tremendous success with recent hit movies," says Hyperion’s Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Dyssegaard. "We think it’s a great time to explore what happens to super heroines when they are dropped into traditional women’s novels.” Ruwan Jayatilleke, Associate Publishers/SVP, Marvel Entertainment, believes,  “It’s exciting to see Hyperion bring two of our most beloved female super heroes, Rogue and She-Hulk, to life in ways you’ve never seen before.  Whether you’re a long time fan of Marvel or new to our Super Heroes, these novels deliver exciting stories that will capture your imagination.”

House of Cards - Season One Review

February 10, 2013, 6:10 am

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Rohan Morbey reviews Netflix's political drama series House of Cards...

Forget the fact that Netflix has released all 13 episodes of their US remake of the British show House of Cards all at once rather than the traditional one-per-week - the question is should you watch it? The answer is yes, but it’s not must-see television (should that be ‘must-see streaming’?) and doesn’t make me wish for every other show to be available on-demand either.

Without giving an in-depth review of each episode and storyline, House of Cards is about Congressman Francis J. Underwood (Kevin Spacey), who plots his way to becoming the Vice President after being overlooked for Secretary of State and he doesn’t care who he has to use, step on, sabotage or destroy to get what he wants.

Overall, the show is good and is always watchable but never anything out of the ordinary; we’ve seen crooked politicians and cheaters in positions of power plenty of times before on both film and TV - and in real life too - and this show doesn’t add much more to what you may have seen before. This isn’t a commentary on the show’s production values as they are excellent throughout, but perhaps they are deserving of something more important or cutting edge than these 13 episodes.

The show is partly produced by David Fincher which gives the show gravitas during the title sequence and can be seen throughout the 13 episodes; the pallet is dark, grey and green, and is without hardly any humour or comic relief. Moreover, Fincher directs the first two episodes which look far too similar to his feature film work (the trademark angles, the cinematography) to work as a made-for-TV production, whereas the following 11 episodes take their cues from what Fincher had established but look far more suited to television in terms of how they are shot. The directors of these episodes include James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross) and Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Tigerland) who, although not in the same echelons as Fincher, are still competent film directors with some great work to their name.

There will be a second season to House of Cards which comes as no surprise. I think the show would have worked better if it were just the one-off season and developed a tighter story with more at stake and less room for the overriding feeling of having seen it all before.

Rohan Morbey - follow me on Twitter.

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Culturally, Does Steven Soderbergh Matter Anymore?

February 10, 2013, 8:56 am

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Commenting on the Critics with Simon Columb...

Nick James writes in the new March edition of Sight & Sound how Steven Soderbergh's statement "I just don't think movies matter anymore, culturally" may be a little... cynical...

"For a while now, lamentation and nostalgia have been rife in the discourse around cinema (not least in these pages). That Soderbergh's measured broadside came just as Sundance 2013 was reaching its conclusion gave it an extra ironic spin. In cinema, of course, the sky is always falling but there's little doubt that the kind of indie cinema that Soderbergh emerged from has vanished.'"

As a director, it is key to note that Steven Soderbergh's Sex, Lies, and Videotape was key to Sundance in 1989 and Nick James notes this, alongside the fact that Sundance 2013 gained little coverage in the UK press this year.

Though Soderbergh may believe that cinema doesn't matter anymore, I would argue that it is the current climate that is completely different to the world he joined in '89 - but it still matters. The celebration of films such as The Artist and Holy Motors, with mainstream releases such as Hugo and Django Unchained, openly appreciated art-house, B-movie and silent movies on a scale that is unprecedented. Since when would children watch a film whereby the lead character watches Buster Keaton and Georges Melies in amazement? The Artist was only the second silent film (since 1927) that won the Academy Award for Best Picture and I am positive that the many viewers who watched it may have realised that silent movies are clearly not as 'inaccessible' as they may have once thought.

Quentin Tarantino has always created cinema that self-references the medium itself and this, in turn, continues to become a major draw at the box-office - Django Unchained, steeped in Spaghetti Western nostalgia, has become Tarantino's highest grossing film.

Indeed, the gap of culture and commerce may widen within the film industry, but the access to the films has never been so plentiful blurring the boundaries a little. As filmmakers grapple with 3D and IMAX to create a new 'event' for cinemagoers (and skewing the statistics), audiences at home can now watch any film whatsoever. Those Tarantino fans who want to know the reason the film is called 'Django' can stream the under-appreciated films easily from a PS3 - and then they can digitally read on an iPad last months Sight & Sound to read Kim Newman's informative article. Or they can put a question on a social-networking site and gain the answer within seconds. Access to information has never been so readily available.

Audiences are not directed as they once were - and the "home cinema" environment has become a new ground for independent cinema as films go straight to digital downloads to make their income. I question how Soderbergh would've dealt with this current climate in 1989 - as the coverage of Sundance is tweeted and retweeted on the internet as film enthusiasts pick-up the buzz early on. Nick James writes how he was "getting excited about the Berlinale programme" and, now it is in full swing, I know that Gloria is one to look out for as Jonathan Romney, Kate Muir and Geoff Andrew sing its praises. Before Midnight, the sequel to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, has been exceptionally well received at Sundance too.

There was a time when a diverse range of cinema was exclusive to cities - in cinemas that could afford to show non-mainstream films. Now, audiences are more in touch with independent and international cinema than ever before - and it will surely have an affect on cinema-going. Movies matter - and culturally, cinema-going and audiences are changing too. This type of speed and access, again, is a brave new world ... and maybe Soderbergh simply can't keep up.

Simon Columb

BAFTA Predictions from the Pen

February 10, 2013, 9:37 am

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The EE BAFTA Awards 2013 are taking place in London tonight, and as well as providing live updates from the red carpet (which you can see here), Flickering Myth's Oliver Davis has been collecting some predictions from the bloggers in attendance at the press pen - namely Patrick from Bleeding Cool, Niall from Collider and Becky from ThisIsFakeDIY; check them out...

Best Film
Argo - Patrick and Becky
Les Miserables - Niall

Best British Film
Les Miserables - Patrick and Becky
Skyfall - Niall

Best Leading Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis - Patrick, Niall and Becky

Best Leading Actress
Jennifer Lawrence - Niall
Jessica Chastain - Patrick and Becky

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz - Becky
Javier Bardem - Niall
Tommy Lee Jones - Patrick

Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway - Patrick, Niall and Becky

Best Director
Ben Affleck - Patrick, Niall and Becky

Best Documentary
Searching for Sugar Man - Becky
West of Memphis - Niall and Patrick

Best Film Not In The English Language
Amour - Patrick, Niall and Becky

You can also see the predictions of the Flickering Myth writing team here.

Who do you think will win at tonight's BAFTAs? Let us know in the comments...

Flickering Myth at the BAFTAs Live!

February 10, 2013, 9:39 am

≫ Next: Identity Thief steals the top spot at the US box office

≪ Previous: BAFTA Predictions from the Pen

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Oliver Davis reports live from the BAFTAs red carpet...

18.46 - John C. Reilly

18.43 - A blink-and-you'll-miss-him Quentin Tarantino

18.40 - (sung to the Kaiser Chiefs' Ruby) Judi Judi Judi Judi... Dench.

18.36 - Jack Whitehall

18.32 - Helen Mirren has pink hair.

18.32 - Anne Hathaway!

18.31 - George Clooney!

18.22 - a very quick Ben Affleck.

18.17 - the Bond girl I can't spell the name of!

18.07 - Tom Hiddleston! ...who looks like Michael Fassbender.

18.05 - Vince Cable just walked past in a very snazzy hat.

18.03 - Christopher...um, Biggins?

18.02 - Jennifer Garner on the phone.

18.00 - Stephen Fry was in a rush because he "has to finish the script".

17.57 - Hugh Jackman! ...more like Huge Jackman. He's really tall.

17.49 - That's Jennifer Lawrence in this photo. My picture taking skills are deteriorating with the cold.

17.46 - the back of Leigh Francis' head! Also, it just started snowing.

17.23 - And now so has Billy Connolly's.

17.10 - Paloma Faith's hair has just arrived.

16.51 - Attractive people are starting to arrive. They're also getting wet.

16.33 - Dermot O'Leary is still the nicest person in the world. Even when it's raining. He's bantering with anyone in close proximity.

Did I mention it's raining?

16.36 - still raining. The red carpet makes a squishy noise whenever anyone walks upon it. A cameraman for Nine Network Australia was just consumed whole by it.

16.30 - Richard Arnold on the phone. Aaaand it's still raining.

16.21 - Mark Kermode says it's impossible to pick a big winner because there's such a wide spread of films.

He also says Daniel Craig is the best Bond we've ever had, and Skyfall is by far his favourite 007 movie.

He thinks Skyfall and Les Miserables for Best British Film is too close to call.

He's now picking Argo as the "one everyone likes," and thinks it might be a surprise hit. Now he's bashing 3D again, but does admit Life of Pi is excellent.

16.18 - MASSIVE CELEB ALERT: I'm told that's the guy from Newsround...

16.11 - Flackers and Dermot on the wet carpet.

16.05 - The wet carpet.

Be sure to read the Flickering Myth writing team's predictions for tonight's EE BAFTA British Academy Film Awards here.

Oliver Davis

Identity Thief steals the top spot at the US box office

February 10, 2013, 11:59 am

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Apparently audiences were looking for a laugh this weekend as the Jason Bateman / Melissa McCarthy comedy Identity Thief debuted at number one with a whopping $36 million.  And I doubt that the majority of those tickets were sold because of Jason Bateman's monotone straight man routine.  Melissa McCarthy is quickly becoming a comedy gold mine.  After Bridesmaids, the doors swung open and she's charging through.  This is the first of two high profile comedies she is anchoring this year, the other being The Heat with co-star Sandra Bullock.  If the success of Identity Thief is any indicator, she could be having a pretty good year.

The other major debut this week was something of a sleeper.  The new Steven Soderbergh thriller Side Effects failed to generate any mania.  The film only took in $9 million over the weekend.  It's interesting, because the film was really sold on the presence of two stars past their prime (Jude Law, Catherine Zeta Jones), a rising star (Rooney Mara), and 2012's biggest new box office phenomenon Channing Tatum.  To be fair to Tatum, he's in the movie for about eight minutes, so you really can't hang the failure of this one on him.  Mara hasn't headlined a feature since the financially disappointing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Her career trajectory might have to be moved from 'rising' to 'holding pattern'.  For whatever reasons, North American audiences seemed uninterested in the film.

Last week's number one Warm Bodies dropped one spot to number two with a strong 45% week over week drop.  In its second week the zom-com made another $11 million.

Silver Linings Playbook continues to be the award season box office darling.  Another $6 million in the bank for the Weinsteins' Oscar hopeful, which bodes well for its awards chances.  At the beginning of the Oscar season all the talk was on Lincoln, and it's been shifting over to Argo after a handful of various awards and accolades.  But there's been an undercurrent of chatter suggesting that Lincoln and Argo are splitting the older Academy voters and that Silver Linings Playbook could sweep in with a surprise win.  I don't know if I'm confident enough to place a bet on that logic, but it makes for some interesting water cooler conversations.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters rounds out the top five, though the film is going to struggle to get past $50 million total in the U.S.  With inflated ticket prices for 3D, that has to be seen as a bit of a disappointment.

Next week brings us a trio of new wide releases.  For the Valentine's Day romantics, you have your choice of two love stories.   There's Safe Haven, for those of you who never tire of Nicholas Sparks' annual love story, and for you Twilight fans who like their love stories served with a lot of supernatural douche-baggery, there's the terrible looking Beautiful Creatures.   For those of us who equate either of those two films to cruel and unusual punishment, there is respite in the form of Bruce Willis who proves that you can't keep an aging action icon down with A Good Day to Die Hard. 

Here's your top films for North America...

1. Identity Thief
Weekend Estimate: $36 million

2. Warm Bodies
Weekend Estimate: $11 million; $36 million total

3. Side Effects
Weekend Estimate: $9 million

4. Silver Linings Playbook
Weekend Estimate: $6 million; $90 million total

5. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Weekend Estimate: $5 million; $43 million total

Anghus Houvouras

The winners of the BAFTA EE British Academy Film Awards 2013 are...

February 10, 2013, 2:51 pm

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Wrapping up all the winners from the 65th annual BAFTA EE British Academy Film Awards...

Sunday evening marked the biggest occasion in the British film calendar as Hollywood descended upon London's Royal Opera House for BAFTA's 66th annual British Academy Film Awards, which celebrated the very best in cinematic excellence from the past twelve months.

Tom Hooper's acclaimed musical Les Miserables may have won the most awards, taking home Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway), Production Design, Sound and Make Up & Hair, but the night belonged to Argo, the CIA thriller picking up Best Film and Best Editing, while Ben Affleck was also named Best Director, despite failing to pick up as much as a nomination at the Academy Awards.

Elsewhere, Skyfall received Outstanding British Film (and also received the award for Best Original Music), while Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) and Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) were honoured in the lead acting categories. Bart Layton and Dimitri Doganis collected the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, with Juno Temple winning the public vote for the EE Rising Star Award.

Be sure to take a look at Oliver Davis' live report from the freezing cold BAFTA red carpet, which you can view here.

Check out all the nomins from the 2013 BAFTA British Academy Film Awards, with the winners highlighted in red:

BEST FILM
ARGO – Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney
LES MISÉRABLES – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh
LIFE OF PI – Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark
LINCOLN – Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
ZERO DARK THIRTY – Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
ANNA KARENINA – Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster, Tom Stoppard
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL – John Madden, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Ol Parker
LES MISÉRABLES – Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh, William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS – Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin
SKYFALL – Sam Mendes, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan

DIRECTOR
AMOUR – Michael Haneke
ARGO – Ben Affleck
DJANGO UNCHAINED – Quentin Tarantino
LIFE OF PI – Ang Lee
ZERO DARK THIRTY – Kathryn Bigelow

LEADING ACTOR
BEN AFFLECK – Argo
BRADLEY COOPER – Silver Linings Playbook
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – Lincoln
HUGH JACKMAN – Les Misérables
JOAQUIN PHOENIX – The Master

LEADING ACTRESS
EMMANUELLE RIVA – Amour
HELEN MIRREN – Hitchcock
JENNIFER LAWRENCE – Silver Linings Playbook
JESSICA CHASTAIN – Zero Dark Thirty
MARION COTILLARD – Rust and Bone

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
BART LAYTON (Director), DIMITRI DOGANIS (Producer)- The Imposter
DAVID MORRIS (Director), JACQUI MORRIS (Director/Producer) – McCullin
DEXTER FLETCHER (Director/Writer), DANNY KING (Writer) – Wild Bill
JAMES BOBIN (Director) – The Muppets
TINA GHARAVI (Director/Writer) – I Am Nasrine

DOCUMENTARY
THE IMPOSTER – Bart Layton, Dimitri Doganis
MARLEY – Kevin Macdonald, Steve Bing, Charles Steel
McCULLIN – David Morris, Jacqui Morris
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN – Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn
WEST OF MEMPHIS – Amy Berg

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
AMOUR – Michael Haneke, Margaret Ménégoz
HEADHUNTERS – Morten Tyldum, Marianne Gray, Asle Vatn
THE HUNT – Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Morten Kaufmann
RUST AND BONE – Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux
UNTOUCHABLE – Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache, Nicolas Duval Adassovsky, Yann Zenou, Laurent Zeitoun

ANIMATED FILM
BRAVE – Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
FRANKENWEENIE – Tim Burton
PARANORMAN – Sam Fell, Chris Butler

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARGO – Chris Terrio
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD – Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin
LIFE OF PI – David Magee
LINCOLN – Tony Kushner
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – David O. Russell

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMOUR – Michael Haneke
DJANGO UNCHAINED – Quentin Tarantino
THE MASTER – Paul Thomas Anderson
MOONRISE KINGDOM – Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
ZERO DARK THIRTY – Mark Boal

EE RISING STAR AWARD
ELIZABETH OLSEN
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH
SURAJ SHARMA
JUNO TEMPLE
ALICIA VIKANDER

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ALAN ARKIN – Argo
CHRISTOPH WALTZ – Django Unchained
JAVIER BARDEM – Skyfall
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – The Master
TOMMY LEE JONES – Lincoln

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS – The Master
ANNE HATHAWAY – Les Misérables
HELEN HUNT – The Sessions
JUDI DENCH – Skyfall
SALLY FIELD – Lincoln

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ANNA KARENINA – Dario Marianelli
ARGO – Alexandre Desplat
LIFE OF PI – Mychael Danna
LINCOLN – John Williams
SKYFALL – Thomas Newman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
ANNA KARENINA – Seamus McGarvey
LES MISÉRABLES – Danny Cohen
LIFE OF PI – Claudio Miranda
LINCOLN – Janusz Kaminski
SKYFALL – Roger Deakins

EDITING
ARGO – William Goldenberg
DJANGO UNCHAINED – Fred Raskin
LIFE OF PI – Tim Squyres
SKYFALL – Stuart Baird
ZERO DARK THIRTY – Dylan Tichenor, William Goldenberg

PRODUCTION DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
LES MISÉRABLES – Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
LIFE OF PI – David Gropman, Anna Pinnock
LINCOLN – Rick Carter, Jim Erickson
SKYFALL – Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock

COSTUME DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA – Jacqueline Durran
GREAT EXPECTATIONS – Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
LES MISÉRABLES – Paco Delgado
LINCOLN – Joanna Johnston
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN – Colleen Atwood

SOUND
DJANGO UNCHAINED – Mark Ulano, Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, Wylie Stateman
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – Tony Johnson, Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick, Brent Burge, Chris Ward
LES MISÉRABLES – Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Jonathan Allen, Lee Walpole, John Warhurst
LIFE OF PI – Drew Kunin, Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton, Ron Bartlett, D. M. Hemphill
SKYFALL – Stuart Wilson, Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell, Per Hallberg, Karen Baker Landers

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES – Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Peter Bebb, Andrew Lockley
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White
LIFE OF PI – Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer
MARVEL AVENGERS ASSEMBLE – Nominees TBC
PROMETHEUS – Richard Stammers, Charley Henley, Trevor Wood, Paul Butterworth

MAKE UP & HAIR
ANNA KARENINA – Ivana Primorac
HITCHCOCK – Julie Hewett, Martin Samuel, Howard Berger
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater
LES MISÉRABLES – Lisa Westcott
LINCOLN – Lois Burwell, Kay Georgiou

SHORT ANIMATION
HERE TO FALL – Kris Kelly, Evelyn McGrath
I’M FINE THANKS – Eamonn O’Neill
THE MAKING OF LONGBIRD – Will Anderson, Ainslie Henderson

SHORT FILM
THE CURSE – Fyzal Boulifa, Gavin Humphries
GOOD NIGHT – Muriel d’Ansembourg, Eva Sigurdardottir
SWIMMER – Lynne Ramsay, Peter Carlton, Diarmid Scrimshaw
TUMULT – Johnny Barrington, Rhianna Andrews
THE VOORMAN PROBLEM – Mark Gill, Baldwin Li

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA
TESSA ROSS

BAFTA FELLOWSHIP
ALAN PARKER

Turning The Page: Directors by Susan Beth Lehman

February 10, 2013, 6:20 pm

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The ability to look at something from a different perspective usually results in more insight and understanding.  Such is the case with Susan Beth Lehman who examines what it takes to be an effective director by interviewing those who have been able to crossover from theatre to film and television.  In the Preface of Directors: From Stage to Screen and Back Again, the author who is an Assistant Professor of TV and Film at DeSales University writes, “Into the second century of film so many of the film greats like Otto Preminger, Sydney Pollack, Michael Gordon, and so many who made the transition from stage to film are no longer with us to tell their story.  This Text is designed to cull knowledge and experience from some of the many successful film directors who began their careers in theatre, and how they found the magic in both.”  True to her words, Lehman adopts a conversational approach with the likes of Paul Aaron (A Force of One), Rob Marshall (Chicago), Neil LaBrute (In the Company of Men), Lenore Dekoven (Tremors), Oz Scott (Bustin’ Loose), and Matt Shakman (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) which allows for an in-depth exploration of the subject matter.

To put the content in the proper context Susan Beth Lehman includes a chapter titled Brief History of the Modern Director where she credits Konstantin Stanislavsky as being the innovator who transformed the craft into the profession it has become today.  Stanislavsky served as the director of the Moscow Art Theatre and published in 1936 the influentialAn Actor Prepares which ushered in the era of “realism” where inner emotions are channelled, thereby, resulting in a more believable performance.   Before each interview, which is laid out in the question and answer format, there is a career retrospective.  A significant topic of conversation is the ability to collaborate with actors and technology; the latter of the two is not a factor with theatre but each remains extremely relevant when making big and small screen productions.  “A theatre director’s skill is working with actors,” states Rob Marshall.  “When jumping into something like Pirates of the Caribbean, which is huge technically, one of the most important elements for me was to make sure that the work with the actors didn’t get lost.”

Directors: From Stage to Screen and Back Againis in essence an instructor manual framed by personal anecdotes which results in an informative and entertaining reading experience.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada. 

Downton Abbey Season 3 - Episode 6 Review

February 10, 2013, 7:00 pm

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Kirsty Capes reviews the sixth episode of Downton Abbey season 3...

After all the doom and gloom that’s been going on in Downton recently, it's nice to have an episode with more positives than negatives. This episode is just that. We see the mourning period for the family is coming to a close and Cora is speaking to Robert again, even though he's still acting like a prize tool (as per usual). Bates is finally out of prison and both he and Anna are overjoyed. Lord Grantham offers them a cottage on the estate so they can live as man and wife. Edith becomes even more independent and less of a hopeless romantic as she accepts Mr Gregson's offer to write a column for his newspaper. Even Violet seems to be perking up.

Mary and Matthew are still having trouble conceiving and the presence of the new baby doesn't help. It's baby Sybil's christening and Robert is still throwing his toys out the pram because it's going to be a Catholic ceremony. The event does give us the opportunity to meet Tom's brother Kieran, who is basically an aggressive drunkard. He takes the mick out of Tom for hobnobbing with the aristocracy and basically insults everyone, making the family nervous about the fact that Tom and baby Sybil are going to live with Kieran after the christening.

Meanwhile more people have a stick up their behind as Jarvis resigns on the spot upon hearing Matthew's plans to overhaul Downton's finances. Matthew accuses Robert of wasting Cora's money on bailing Downton out because he refuses to make the estate profitable. Fair comment, in my opinion. Even so, the two leave the matter to be resolved at another time, although they do decide to offer Tom a position on the grounds so he doesn't have to go and live with his scary brother as a car mechanic.

Violet places an advert in the paper for Ethel behind Isobel's back. When Isobel kicks off about it the others point out that if Isobel sends Ethel on her way with a good reference she is likely to have a better life than stay in the village with a bad reputation and the subject of gossip. It would be much better if she could start fresh. Isobel accepts this and for once realises that she is wrong.

Meanwhile downstairs, the love quadrangle is still a thing that's happening. I've lost track of what's going on myself, to be honest. In this episode, though, Alfred asks Ivy to the pictures and she accepts although clearly without the same intention as Alfred. Obviously this makes Daisy angry which means she's a bit of a so-and-so this episode (but then again, she nearly always is). The biggest revelation of this show is the actions of Thomas, who basically makes a pass at James while he's asleep. Thomas is under pressure because now Mr Bates is back his job as Lord Grantham's valet is no longer secure. he's also got saboteur O'Brien whispering his eye, suggesting that Jimmy fancies him. Confused Tom creeps into James' room and kisses him, only for Alfred to see, James to wake up and go ape, and as a result wake Carson up. Basically the worst possible outcome for Thomas. One can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Anyway, Alfred after being coaxed by O'Brien tells Mr Carson what happened, who in turn questions Thomas, who basically admits himself to being gay at a time when homosexuality was illegal and punishable by jail. Poor Thomas! not sure on the historical accuracy of this plot line though.

So basically, this week at Downton is a mixed bag. Interestingly, two characters I thought I would always hate have gone slightly up in my esteem, and other more popular characters are still acting like pompous twits.

Kirsty Capes

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DVD Review - Darling Companion (2012)

February 10, 2013, 11:43 pm

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Darling Companion, 2012.

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan.
Starring Mark Duplass, Richard Jenkins, Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Elisabeth Moss, Sam Shepard, Dianne Wiest and Ayelet Zurer.

SYNOPSIS:

Mother and daughter, Beth and Grace, find a bedraggled dog on the side of the freeway. Taking it home and rescuing it, the dog helps Grace meet a man - but Beth's husband hates the dog and it just might cause even more friction within the family...

Darling Companion represents one of the biggest wastes of talent, either on or off screen, to ever get together and make a film.

There’s too many people involved here to write it off as a minor blip. The main offender is writer/director Lawrence Kasdan for writing a 100 minute script about the wealthy people looking for a dog one of them found abandoned next to the freeway. The lost dog becomes a crass metaphor for love and relationships and the chance for the cast to argue, fall out, and then make up again. You’d expect more from a made-for-TV film, let alone the man who wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark, Body Heat, The Empire Strikes Back, and more closely linked to this bore-fest, the superior The Big Chill.

The cast is so ridiculously good and it’s a wonder one of them agreed to this film, let alone all of the following - Diane Keaton (The Godfather, Annie Hall), Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, Cyrano de Bergerac), Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under, The Visitor), and Dianne Wiest (Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway). Adding to the list of wasted talent is composer James Newton Howard who is given nothing to work with and must have been his most difficult film to score; he’s a genius to have written a single note.

This is one for die-hard fans of the cast and crew only.

Flickering Myth Rating - Film: ★ / Movie: ★ 

Rohan Morbey - follow me on Twitter.

Game of Thrones season 3 Chaos teaser trailer

February 11, 2013, 2:22 am

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Well, it's here at last... kind of. After teasing us with a series of behind-the-scenes 'making of' videos and a promo featuring a raven, HBO has finally released a teaser trailer for the upcoming third season of the epic fantasy series Game of Thrones. Sadly, it doesn't contain any actual footage from the new season, but it does give us a look at some of the returning characters... which is better than a raven flying around a city, at least.

Entitled 'Chaos', the teaser features a voiceover from Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen), as well as shots of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann), Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), Robb Stark (Richard Madden), Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington); check it out here...


Meanwhile, HBO has also released a synopsis for season three premiere: "Jon is brought before Mance Rayder, the King Beyond the Wall, while the Night’s Watch survivors retreat south. In King’s Landing, Tyrion asks for his reward, Littlefinger offers Sansa a way out, and Cersei hosts a dinner for the royal family. Arya runs into the Brotherhood Without Banners. Dany sails into Slaver's Bay."

Game of Thrones season 3 gets underway on March 31st.

The Wolverine trailer not arriving until March, Silver Samurai revealed?

February 11, 2013, 2:58 am

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Any X-Men fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first trailer for The Wolverine this week will be disappointed to hear that we won't get our first look at Hugh Jackman's latest outing as Logan until next month. It had been reported that the first trailer would debut online tomorrow (February 12th) and make its way into cinemas with A Good Day to Die Hard from Valentine's Day. However, director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Knight and Day) has taken to Twitter to announce that the rumours were false and the trailer will instead be released at the end of March (with reports suggesting it will be attached to G.I. Joe: Retaliation).

Considering there's just over six months to go until the release of The Wolverine, it is strange that we're yet to see any footage from the film, especially as we've already had one trailer for Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3 [see here], and two for Warner Bros.' Superman reboot Man of Steel [see here and here]. The news was met with criticism on Twitter, with Mangold subsequently telling fans "tell me you think we're lame after you see the teaser. At least then you will be critiquing images from the film, not a marketing window" and promising that "from end of March till release, you'll be saturated." We'd like to hope so, because at this rate we might have to wait until we can watch the special features on The Wolverine Blu-ray / DVD release before we get to see this trailer...

Meanwhile, thanks to an image from Toy Fair 2013 (via TheDailySuperHero), we may have a look at how Wolverine's nemesis The Silver Samurai (played by Will Yun Lee; Total Recall) will look in the film, which seems to match quite closely with the on-set spy shot that was snapped last year:

Joining Hugh Jackman and Will Yun Lee in the cast of the Japan-set solo sequel are Brian Tee (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) as Noburo Mori, Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai) as Shingen, Hal Yamanouchi (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) as Yashida and Svetlana Khodchenkova (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Viper, while newcomers Rila Fukushima and Tao Okamoto will potray Yukio and Mariko.

The Wolverine is set to hit cinemas on July 26th.

Special Features - Edited for TV

February 11, 2013, 5:29 am

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With A Good Day to Die Hard getting a 12A certificate, Luke Owen examines the lost art of editing movies for TV...

In the 80s and 90s it was common place for you to find edited versions of 18 rated movies on TV. In fact to this day you’ll still see edited versions of movies with scenes cut out, lines of dialogue changed and different shots used. For some, these are the only versions of the movie that they know as they'd recorded them on VHS off the telly. I’ll never forget the day that I watched Back to the Future on DVD and found out that Marty would see some “serious s**t” as opposed to some “serious stuff”.

With the announcement of A Good Day to Die Hard getting a 12A rating here in good ol’ Blighty (despite our across the pond neighbours getting the full R rated treatment), I thought I’d look back at the good old days when films weren’t cut to appease the censors and were instead just altered to get on TV.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

In this famous scene where Walter smashes up a stranger's car, we get a bizarre edited line to replace Walter’s outrage at Larry for "F’ing a stranger in the A". While the rest of the scene is just dubbed to remove the multiple F bombs, the replaced line sees Walter punish Larry for “finding a stranger in the alps”…

That doesn't even make sense...

Die Hard 2 (1990)

The franchise that brought us here in the first place has seen some questionable TV-editing in its time but none more famous than Die Hard 2. Aside from the use of “freaking” to replace the numerous F-bombs, we also get John McClane tell Capt. Lorenzo that he has “fat feet” and Colonel Stewart give a reporter two words – “joke” and “you” (you can guess which the edited line was). However these all pale in comparison to the infamous “Yippie Ki-yay” where he replaces the all-to-sweary last word with “Mr. Falcon”…

You can see all the edits here:

Pulp Fiction (1994)

“What ain’t no country I ever heard of, do they speak in English in What? English little sucker do you speak it?!”

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Bryan Singer’s crime thriller isn’t really known for its abundance of bad language (it's mostly famous for its twist ending) but there is one scene in particular where our main characters have to say the same line of dialogue while in a line-up. The line in question sees our ‘heroes’ ask for a set of keys before accusing them of performing fallatio in a rude format. In this edited for TV experience, the dubbing replaces this insult with the slightly lighter “fairy godmother”.

I’m sure Stephen Baldwin manages to get an F-Bomb in there somehow…

Scarface (1983)

Producer Martin Bergman correctly asks how are they going to replace the 160 uses of the F word in a movie? Well, with some creative word choices and good dubbing, they actually managed to do it. For example, it turns out that Tony Montana got his scars from "eating pineapple" and that this city is “just one big chicken, waiting to be plucked”. Elvira even tells him off for questioning "when and how she makes it”.

Robocop (1987)

Not exactly known for holding back with its language and violence is Paul Verhoven’s 1987 sci-fi classic Robocop is a masterclass in TV edits as demonstrated beautifully in this video:

Ghostbusters (1984)

But Ghostbusters is a PG? How could it possibly need editing for TV? Well two scenes really call for it (apart from Ernie Hudson saying that he’s seen “stuff” that will turn you white) in an example of Ivan Reitman shooting two versions of the scenes to put in the edited-for-TV version. We start with Ray calling Walter Peck “Wally Wick” instead of insinuating that he doesn’t have a penis:

And in our second clip, Peter Venkman tells Walter Peck that he will sue his “funny face” for wrongful prosecution. Honestly, I think this version is funnier.

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

A film that was made for one line and one line only – and it’s a line that had to be edited for TV and (ironically) airplanes. While some of the above examples have been questionable at times, this TV edit is a work on pure genius.

Pure genius.

Are there any TV edits that you remember we didn’t include on this list? If you do, leave them your Monkey Fighting comments in the Monday to Friday box below.

Luke Owen is one of the co-editors of Flickering Myth and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @CGLuke_o.

Man of Steel collectibles provide new looks at Superman, Jor-El, Zod and Faora

February 11, 2013, 5:57 am

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New York City is currently playing host to Toy Fair 2013, and thanks to Collider, we've got several images from the upcoming Man of Steel DC Collectibles line, which give us some new looks at several characters from Zack Snyder's hotly-anticipated reboot, including Superman (Henry Cavill), Jor-El (Russell Crowe), General Zod (Michael Shannon) and Zod's right hand woman Faora (Antje Traue). Take a look:

"In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El is a young twentysomething journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone’s imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha and Jonathan Kent, Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as “Superman,” not only to shine as the world’s last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves."

Man of Steel is due for release on June 14th, with a supporting cast that includes Amy Adams (The Fighter) as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys) as Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane (Secretariat) as Martha Kent, Laurence Fishburne (Contagion) as Perry White, Ayelet Zurer (Angels & Demons) as Lara Lor-Van, Christopher Meloni (True Blood) as Colonel Hardy and Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) as Henry Ackerdson. The film has been written by David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), from a story by Goyer and Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises), who also serves as producer.