The Hornet certainly has those racketeers on the run! Everyone is scrambling, and the Hornet and Kato are relentless! Why, even a collapsing bridge probably won’t be able to stop the Emerald Emancipator! Although, the people behind the rackets aren’t just going to give up, I’m sure they have something up their sleeves to give Britt Reid a run for his money! Guessing by this week’s title, there may be a bounty of some sort on the man. I’m on the edge of my seat, aren’t you? Let’s get the talky part out-of-the-way and jump straight into the action with Chapter 8 of The Green Hornet: Dead or Alive!

The first question I am faced with after watching this trailer is: Will I be seeing an updated version of the truffle shuffle? There is no doubt Spielberg had a big ol’ hand in the making of this movie- and everything I’ve seen on it from day one has made it look like its a scary remake of E.T.

This particular trailer has now upgraded that to: Close Encounters of the Third Kind meets E.T. meets The Goonies.  All of these things pointing in the same direction: BAD ASS! I will be there with my little kid shoes on- with the same expectation I had seeing any of those films…

You can find the original hi-res video over at twitvid. Or just watch it here!

Now… I will say- I’m not the biggest fan of J.J.’s direction with the kids- their performances come across subdued and teen angsty, as opposed to The Goonies who from frame one were bursting with what can only be described as child-like energy.  But, to be fair- film makers could get away with a lot more in the 80’s than they can today… plus, they had to overcompensate with acting because special effects weren’t the king of the cinematic castle back then. That’s also NOT to say I didn’t see moments in the trailer that could lend themselves to that over the top reactionary acting one would hope for from a movie like this, but they were sort of drowned out in the editing.

The use of lens flare in all the none action related scenes actually works for me- it seems like it will help create a faux sense of pace and even emotion, but, if over used could really make the kids’ performances seem forced, and/or arbitrary.

Oh- and for some reason there’s a zombie at 1:54. (jokes- its a dude covered in blood- but the editing and the voice make it look like a zombie the first, second and third time you watch it… I don’t know if that was a purposeful decision, but it definitely adds to the mystique!)

The use of the E.T. sounding theme music didn’t hurt either… this is quite the well cut trailer, something J.J. Abrams has ALWAYS been good at- now let’s see if he can deliver like he did with Star Trek!

IT is rare that you see a film that personifies the statement “All style and no substance” but that is exactly what the new film Red Riding Hood does. The newest film from Catherine Hardwicke ( the director that brought us the first Twilight film) Red Riding Hood is a hyper stylized confabulation of teen girl ubber fantasy.

If you go to Red Riding Hood thinking you are going to get an new and refreshing take on a classic folk tale – you will be disappointed. Despite a motivated art department doing what it can to elicit a sense of majesty and wonder – the “Fairy tale” feel comes off as almost comedicly awkward. With tree branches all abnormally pike shaped (see movie poster), and a range of fabric colors and dyes simply NOT available to medieval peasants, to call it Disneyfied does not even begin to cover it. If you enjoy a costume drama for the element of history – you will be even more disappointed. This film rubs its scrotum in the face of history. It features Galileo-esque devices wielded by Church authorities, industrial era venting ducts in a smithy, and last but not least – a party scene that is basically a RAVE. Just to name a few.

If you expect just a Romantic costume drama – again (unless you are under the age of 14) be prepared to be let down. What romance exists is deeply superficial. While I am not at ALL against a story line of passionate and distracting LUST on the part of the protagonists – it helps if there is ANY chemistry between the leads. Mouth agape and bosom heaving Amanda Seyfried carries the weight for BOTH her male leads. The barely post pubescent males that she must choose between (Oh Wait – THAT doesn’t sound familiar DOES it?!?) are both perfectly coiffed and styled to maximize tween longing. The film is really lacking any chemistry or depth that an older romance audience would be engaged by. Over all, it huffs and puffs – but this Wolf just Blows.

So- the facebook page for X-Men: First Class just released two of the new teaser posters for their film and I just have to say… they are just awful.

No really- they are BAD:

Someone had a deadline and forgot about it until 3 o’clock that morning, hopped onto their computer and clicked the “learn how to photoshop” button… these were the results… How many millions of dollars are being spent on this film? So far EVERY image, official or not, that has been released of the film has made it look like it was made in my backyard with Li’l Stevie’s allowance. His dad has Photoshop and Premiere too!

The only thing they can do to salvage this mess is; on April 1- put up some PROFESSIONALLY designed posters, none of this cheap LiveTrace crap- and announce that these original releases were all just a big “April Fools” joke.

We’re back with another episode of The Big Movie Mouth-Off podcast!

The podcast features the stars and producers of The Big Movie Mouth-Off film review show, which appears here at Big Shiny Robot! and on Xfinity (Utah On Demand and Channel 6). That lineup is: Jeff Vice from MSN Entertainment, Jimmy Martin from SLUG Magazine, and Bryan Young (me) and Elias Pate from Big Shiny Robot! and ShineBox Media Productions.

To download the latest episode from iTunes, follow this link.

There, you should rate and subscribe to the podcast.

This week, we talked about:

• Academy Awards debriefing
• The Blade Runner prequel/sequel
• Star Wars in 3D
• Superman Casting
• The Great Catwoman Debate
• Robocop 3D
• Western Films
• In Memoriam: Everyone the Academy Forgot

Listen! Let us know what you think! Spread the word!

For those of you who don’t like iTunes, you can get a direct .mp3 here. And you can add the BSR! podcast RSS feed by right clicking this link.

We have also unleashed the complete Big Movie Mouth-Off Sundance coverage!  Here’s part 1:

And Part 2:

Hey there True Believers,

This week Marvel released some teaser posters for the upcoming Thor and X-men: First Class movies. There is a lot of mixed buzz about both of these films. I hear just as much consternation and doubt as I do excitement and praise for both titles. It seems like every one keeps waiting for new images, trailers, interviews – ANYTHING that releases more details to help tip the scales of judgment one way or the other. Oddly – Both of these posters seem VERY lack luster to me. Not giving any more away than has been previously.
With the Thor banner – yeah I am pretty sure we all know who was cast in it. Idras Elba being the most obscure actor on the poster to American audiences. Is Heimdall more predominant in the film than we thought? Is THAT the only gem of knowledge we can gleam from this? Or did the studio think that Elba was simply more recognizable to American audiences than the basically unknown-to-Americans Tom Hiddleston who plays Loki (which anyone that knows anything about Thor – is kind of infallibly the Villain)??? With the X-men: First Class poster – um, why are we seeing this film? OH yeah – THAT is right, I remember now. Because we can not help our selves. Curiosity in the most glaring voyeuristic fashion has us at the edge of our collective nerd seat. We all want something that is amazing – to be as awesome and spot on as the first X-men movie was. But I think every one loves a train wreck in some regard as well. And there is plenty to suggest that X-men: First Class may be a film that Marvel will wish we all forget in a couple of year when they reboot the franchise AGAIN.

This week in comics is rather tepid. But that might be the quiet before the storm. As NEXT WEEK marvel starts moving out the first of the “FEAR ITSELF” story arch that promises to consume the entire Marvel Universe (i.e. – all the standard titles) for the summer. For those of you such as my self that have been following the Age of X story arch in the X titles – the Third chapter continues on this week with X-MEN LEGACY #246. But back again to FEAR ITSELF. Is it JUST me – or is Cyclops TOTALLY making the “Blue Steel” face in this poster??

Here is the official list of Marvel Releases this week.

Comics On-Sale:

5 RONIN #2 AJA COVER

5 RONIN #2 BROOKS VARIANT

CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE KORVAC SAGA #4

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FIRST THIRTEEN #1

HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #2

INCREDIBLE HULKS #624

INCREDIBLE HULKS #624 CAPTAIN AMERICA 70TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT

NEW AVENGERS #10

ONSLAUGHT UNLEASHED #2

PUNISHERMAX #11

SIGIL #1

SIGIL #1 MCGUINNESS VARIANT

SUPER HEROES #12

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #155

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #155 PICHELLI VARIANT

UNCANNY X-FORCE: THE APOCALYPSE SOLUTION #1

VENOM #1

VENOM #1 QUESADA SKETCH VARIANT

VENOM #1 SIQUEIRA VARIANT

X-23 #7

X-23: INNOCENCE LOST MGC #1

X-MEN LEGACY #246

Collections On-Sale:

DEADPOOL VOL. 5: WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS TPB

DEADPOOL VOL. 6: I RULE, YOU SUCK PREMIERE HC

GIRL COMICS TPB

HULK VOL. 6: WORLD WAR HULKS TPB

MARVEL ADVENTURES THOR: BRINGERS OF THE STORM DIGEST

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 13 HC

NEW MUTANTS: FALL OF THE NEW MUTANTS PREMIERE HC

POWER PACK CLASSIC VOL. 3 TPB

SHADOWLAND: MOON KNIGHT PREMIERE HC

THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER VOL. 2 GN-TPB

ULTIMATE COMICS THOR PREMIERE HC

WOLVERINE WEAPON X VOL. 3: TOMORROW DIES TODAY TPB

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit www.comicshoplocator.com

Have you ever wondered what happened after Quaid brought atmosphere to the Martian landscape after the end of 1990’s Total Recall? Well, this May, you can find out, thanks to Dynamite Entertainment! Yes, the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi vehicle is getting a sequel in comic form. The series begins where the movie ends, with bad guy Cohagen dead, Mars getting breathable air, and everything wrapped up nicely. All Quaid wants to do is settle down and have a happy ending with Melina, his love interest. Unfortunately, Mars is in chaos, new enemies are invading the red planet, it doesn’t look like he’ll get his wish! Writer Vince Moore had this to say about the project:

“Being given the opportunity to create a sequel to one of the coolest action films of the 1990s was too great pass up. Resonating with one of the themes of the original movie, this is a dream come true and a great benefit for me.  In order to fulfill my dream, I simply had to turn around and make the happy ending for Douglas Quaid on Mars into a new nightmare and show him to be the hero once again.  It was easy and tons of fun.  I threw everything I could think at Quaid, keeping with the flavor of the movie.  I hope all of the readers enjoy the ride.  My thanks to the folks at Dynamite for giving me this chance.  And to all those fans of the original film, I hope you like what we came up with enough to give it a shot.  Just remember: get your asses to Mars!”

I personally am of two minds about this project. It’s obvious that Moore has passion for the project, but to me, Total Recall was one of those movies where the ending was left ambiguous. You never knew if the adventure Quaid had was real or if he was still at the REKALL facility, experiencing his fantasy vacation. I liked being able to draw my own conclusions, and having the story continued in this way could invalidate that. That being said, I could be completely off base and Vincent Moore could have a lot of mind trips still in store for Quaid, and if that’s the case, I’m all in.

At any rate, Total Recall is a 4 issues mini-series that launches in May for $1.99 Written by Vincent Moore with covers by Darick Robertson and interiors by Cezar Rezak, Be sure to reserve a copy today!

Yesterday we were hearing news confirming that Tom Cruise was to be the lead in Guillermo Del Toro’s “At the Mountains of Madness”. TODAY – we now hear that there is NO At the Mountains of Madness” – and that in fact Universal Studios has pulled the plug on the project due to budget concerns.

This news is just a tremendously depressing blow on many levels. There was great fan fair and interest to see Lovecraft finally adapted to the big screen by a large studio after decades of inspiring other horror films and the genre on a whole. Let alone by a singular talent and visionary like Del Toro. With the directors name mentioned and connected to many a project ( the newest being uttered is a film called Pacific Rim ) one hopes that his luck will improve. Time will tell what project he actually chooses and moves forward with. As a tremendous fan of the man myself, I hope to at least see an art book of his infamous notebook to catch even the slightest glimpse of what might have been.

Seems like everything these days is getting the “reboot” treatment, and it looks like everyone’s favorite sexy British archaeologist is no exception.

Producer Graham King and his company GK Films have acquired the rights to the Lara Croft franchise, which reverted back to Eidos a few years back. GK Films may not sound terribly familiar to everyone, but they are the ones behind some pretty good films as of late including the newly released Rango, as well as The Town, and The Departed. As of right now, the plan is to have Graham King himself and Tim Headington produce the first film in the rebooted franchise.

Angelina Jolie starred in the two previous big-screen adaptations made by Paramount, and with King having produced The Tourist, the Jolie-Johnny Depp thriller, some tongues were wagging about the potential for a new Jolie Raider movie.

But sources say GK Films, which has not hired a writer yet, may be looking to do a Lara Croft origin story rather continue her adventures.

According to GK Films, the goal is to “create daring new adventures for the young and dynamic Lara Croft.” – THR

Coincidentally (or not) the Tomb Raider videogame franchise is getting the reboot treatment this year with a new console game coming out simply titled, “Tomb Raider”. In this iteration, Lara Croft has been made over into a bit younger version – ditching those trademark khaki shorts (pictured above, courtesy Game Informer). The easy bet is that this new movie franchise revolving around the character will most likely follow this latest look.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the Tomb Raider games, and I thought the movies were mildly entertaining, but for some reason the idea of a production company with a strong track record like GK Films getting behind a potentially exciting franchise peaks my interest. I’m definitely open to seeing what they come up with.

No writers have been hired as of yet, but GK Films is aiming for a 2013 release date.

Ryan K. Peterson is a local artist currently holding shop at Poor Yorick Studios. His walls lined with sculptures and other pieces of art. What you probably didn’t know is that his work has been seen in dozens of films since the mid-’90s. Working on movies such as “Mortal Kombat” and “Men In Black”, and even having unused works from “Mighty Joe Young” and “Spider-Man”, his sculptures have had an influence both on camera and behind the scenes. Currently he has an exhibition at the Art Barn on Finch Lane, and is preparing for the Poor Yorick open house on March 25-26, but you can read about him and his career ahead of time as he sat down to chat with Gavin Sheehan from City Weekly.

Ryan K. Peterson’s interview on Gavin’s Underground

Gavin: What was your first big motion picture you worked on and what was that gig like?

Ryan: I was first hired in 1994 by a relatively new company called Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. (A.D.I.). It was founded by a couple of talented guys, Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., who had worked for Stan Winston of “Jurassic Park” fame. They were about to start “Mortal Kombat” and needed some sculptors to flesh out the four-armed character named Goro. I drove out to L.A., got a hotel room and worked on the film for five weeks. It was awkward at first. I didn’t have any of the right tools and had to adjust to the high quality of sculpting that surrounded me. It was sink or swim time. Luckily, after the job, Tom and Alec asked me to stick around. “Mortal Kombat” soon led to “Jumanji” and I was officially living my childhood dream. I’m very grateful to Tom and Alec for giving me my start.

Gavin: For those interested, what are some of your prominent designs we’ve seen in movies?

Ryan: Most of my work has been collaborative so I can’t take sole credit for much of it. The stuff that I think reflects my aesthetic sensibility the best are the Edgar character in “Men In Black” and the demons in “The Devil’s Advocate”. Many of my designs throughout the years never made it to screen. The Green Goblin for “Spider-Man” was one of them. It went out the window when the production opted for a static mask instead of a make-up. But, I must say, the work I lament the loss of most are the designs I did for Rob Bottin’s directorial debut. The movie never happened but I am very proud of the stuff we came up with. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos. It’s a weird feeling knowing your best work will never be seen.