So while I’m not convinced that this news is accurate, it’s worth mentioning that Ain’t It Cool News is reporting that Millar has claimed Kick-Ass 2 will shoot this summer, with two other adaptations of Millar works, American Jesus (a so-called “sequel to the Bible”) and the as-yet-unreleased Secret Service, which Millar describes as “a neddy JAMES BOND.”

It’s worth noting that Kick-Ass 2 hasn’t been completed yet (there is one issue left in the mini-series), but similarly the Kick-Ass film adaptation went into production before that mini-series concluded.  Still, Jane Goldman (co-writer of the original) and Matthew Vaughn (co-writer director of the original) have both indicated that they don’t plan on returning for the sequel in prior interviews, so whoever is involved in the sequel will have to get a team together quickly to shoot this summer.  Vaughn is busy at the moment working on a sequel to X-Men: First Class.

The original Kick-Ass was a modest hit but was a big hit with the comic book crowd.  I’d love to see more of Millar’s works adapted for the screen, but I’ll believe it when I see a teaser.

With early buzz being very positive and the the original cast returning, American Reunion seems like it might be everything us fans would ever want from this potentially final installment.  Check out the wonderful trailer below and start getting pumped for its release on April 6th.

The movie follows Manhattan married couple George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston), who, after buying an apartment, find themselves both unemployed.  Though the two initially attempt to get back on their feet by staying with George’s brother in Atlanta, they end up by chance in a hippie commune that lives by all the ideals of the Woodstock generation.  George and Linda first find the commune’s ways absurd, but soon begin to accept the communal lifestyle — though on different levels, causing tension.  Of course, this a Judd Apatow-produced comedy directed by David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models), so there’s no doubt that the story is short on that tension and heavy on the comedy.  In particular, an odd love triangle develops between George, Linda, and Seth (Justin Theroux), a sort of ultra-hippie who takes the hippie schtick about as far as it possibly can go.

I’m not sure how much the film was inspired by some of the more… curious individuals who made the news during last summer’s Occupy movements (if at all), but the movie does take an impressive stab in showing both what is attractive about that sort of communal lifestyle and what ultimately is weird and, in some instances, pathetic about it.  Aniston’s Linda seems a reflection of the “I’m not sure what to do with myself” lifestyle, as Rudd’s George points out how unfair it is that he’s had to work for years at a job he hates to support her yearly stabs at an offbeat career, something that a number of parents of college-aged children have complained about in the last several years.  I won’t get any deeper into it, but there’s definitely a level of social commentary here that pundits will have fun picking apart — and will probably take much further than intended.

Aniston also should get a lot of credit for capitalizing on her raunchy Horrible Bosses role by starring in this movie, showing that she is capable of handling more than the airy rom-com roles that she churned out in the previous decade.  In fact, her rom-com sweetheart image makes the movie that much funnier — it’s incredibly awkward-funny to see the former Rachel from Friends doing things like hitting a joint — resulting in some generally surprising moments.

Rudd again demonstrates that he’s at his best in an Apatow film.  He plays the sarcastic straight-man so well that I have to wonder if that’s his actual personality.  And as usual with an Apatow film, it’s the supporting characters who really make the film — from Rudd’s obnoxious new money brother Rick (Ken Marino, who also co-wrote the script with Wain) and his drunk, lonely wife Marissa (Michaela Watkins) (who are so good we can ignore that they are virtually the same characters as Derek and Alice from the Apatow-produced Step Brothers) to the entire cast of characters at the commune.  Their hippie ways would give South Park‘s Cartman nightmares for the rest of his life.

And yet I haven’t delved into the film’s most successful part: it’s very funny.  While it does fall prey to the typical comedy cliches — it still follows a rom-com plot, something that the R-rated jokes can’t cover up — but the laughs more than compensate for it.  The whole commune culture is an easy target — as is Rudd’s character’s corporate lifestyle and his brother’s McMansion excesses — so there’s nothing groundbreaking here, but that isn’t a problem.  True to the Apatow style there are a lot of drug and dick jokes, so if you’ve liked any films in that vein before (you know what they are), you’ll love this one.  Still, the easy jokes don’t carry the rewatch value of something like Step Brothers or 40 Year Old Virgin, especially since the film essentially boils down to a “good guy/bad guy fight over the girl” scenario.  I was disappointed Wain, Marino, and Apatow couldn’t come up with something unique.  But damn, it will make you laugh, and you can’t ask for much more that, can you?

Rating: An enjoyable comedy that offers plenty to laugh at — just ignore the rom-com plot (8/10)

The reason?  Paramount claims it intends to prevent damage to “the legacy and integrity of the Godfather franchise,” which, as owner of the rights to the films, Paramount certainly has a vested interest in.  In fact, Paramount cites the aforementioned The Godfather Returns, which it claims “received mediocre reviews and suffered weak sales,” as an example of how the upcoming prequel novel could damage the films’ reputations.  Paramount adds, “Far from properly honoring the legacy of The Godfather, the unauthorized The Godfather’s Revenge tarnished it, and in the process, also misled consumers into believing that The Godfather’s Revenge was authorized by Paramount, or otherwise affiliated or connected to The Godfather and Paramount’s Godfather franchise.”  Ouch!  Well, Paramount does have one thing right here — The Godfather’s Revenge is a terrible book (it’s the only book I ever gave up on reading halfway through).

The Puzo estate and Paramount have battled over the Godfather for several years, including a legal battle over 2006′s Godfather video game.  I’d prefer it if the Puzo family booted the novel and the two sides instead released the Puzo script, which is speculated to be Puzo’s rough draft of what was to be The Godfather Part IV, which covered the early days of Vito Corleone (roughly 1926-1939, after the flashback scenes in Godfather Part II) and the then “modern day” leadership of Vincent Mancini-Corleone (played by Andy Garcia in Godfather Part III).  I’d much rather read Puzo’s original material than someone’s rewrite of it.

Just as long as nobody tries to turn the script into a film.  We didn’t even need a Godfather Part III!

Growing up in the heavily segregated town of Greensboro, North Carolina, Beverly always wanted to move away and create a life of her own. Her and her two sisters, Roni and Renee, were raised single-handed by their mother, Ethel, after their father left. As a painter, Beverly’s art is very much tied to her family in that all the paintings shown are of her mother, Renee, or other members of her family. As much as Beverly sees herself as different and independent from them, it’s clear they are always on her mind.

Just when Beverly’s career is really taking off, her mother becomes ill and then she’s suddenly asked to fulfill a promise she made to her mother to take care of Renee. Beverly, a forty-something, single, independent woman, values her solitude as a painter, so a new roommate for whom she has to take care of, throws her world upside down. From the very beginning, the film grips you with Beverly’s honesty towards her sister. Beverly and Renee have never had a sisterly bond and it’s refreshing for Beverly to be so open about her emotions and not be apologetic.

Renee, having lived with her mother all her life, never imagined being able to take care of herself. She is thrilled when given the opportunity to live with her sister as she clearly sees her as a role model. The film is not about how Renee changed Beverly’s life, but rather about how Beverly helped Renee be a more independent person. The filmmakers capture life as it happens with most of the narrative coming from Beverly, however, there are several instances where Renee’s admiration and need for approval from her sister are clear. I really enjoyed Renee’s side of the story and wish there could have been a way to explore it more.

Not really a “feel good” documentary, this film is able to show a real-life situation and how it can effect those around you while still maintaining humanity while not going for twists and turns for dramatic effect.

Raising Renee premieres Wednesday, February 22, 2012 on HBO.

Rating: Decidedly honest and unapologetic. 8/10

I hadn’t heard of the film until I read comments about the trailer and am now super excited about checking this out when it’s released on March 9th.  Directed by Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjarne Nilsson, the Swedish movie is about musicians trying to make their masterpiece through a full on crime screen.

I won’t saying anything else, just watch the trailer is embrace its awesomeness.

Set during the Manchurian invasion of Korea in 1636, a legendary archer and servant to the Korean King is framed for treason and, as such, is executed while protecting his kin.  While sending them on the run, he tells his son, Nam-Yi (Hae-il Park), that he is now Ja-In’s father and to protect her at all costs.  Taking refuge at their father’s friend’s home, Kim Mu-seon, they are raised as one of his own.  13 Years pass and Nam-Yi has given up on life, focusing only and his archery practice and drinking while his sister prepares to wed Kim’s son, Seo-Goon.

On the day of their wedding, the Manchurian army of the Qing dynasty invades the Joseon city and takes the villagers as prisoners, including Ja-in (Moon Chae-Won) and Seo-Goon (Mu-Yeol Kim).  Nam Yi, having left the wedding early, rushes back to the city to find it covered with dead bodies and no living person in sight.  Armed with his father’s trusty bow, Nam Yi goes on a mission to fulfill his father’s promise of protecting his sister and getting her back by any means necessary while Manchuria’s best warriors are hot on his tail.

I feel like all I can say is that Robin Hood ain’t got sh*t on Nam-Yi.  In a way, War of the Arrows feels like Taken during the Qing era.  Nam Yi might not be the baddest guy out there but he is a rebel and a very skilled one at that.  What makes him so much cooler than other archers like Legolas (Lord of the rings) and Mr. Hood is his ability to manipulate an arrow’s path, or more simply, he can curve an arrow.  Remember how in Wanted Angelina Jolie could curve a bullet?  Well Nam Yi can slightly curve an arrow making impossible shots legitimately possible for him which gives him an advantage against his numerous adversaries.  Overall, he is just one cool Korean character.

I found this movie to be a pretty fun Asian ride.  There aren’t many movies that solely revolve around archery and Kim Han-Min has managed to create an epic where each successive action sequence ups the intensity ante and where you actually become invested in the main characters, something that doesn’t always happen with these epics.  Also, many historical epics are typically politically slanted but that wasn’t the case with this film, politics was a very small part, serving only as a backdrop.  While not every part of the film is enjoyable, it is a simple film that can easily take your mind off the world around you which, to me, is considered a cinematic success.

My chief complaint about the film is that it felt pretty realistic the entire time but when it came to showing the Qing warriors in pursuit of Nam Yi, it seemed like they never grew tired.  These guys just kept running at full speed in heavy armor and even when they took some of it off they still kept running without tiring.  I don’t know about all of you but even when I’m in shape to run five miles with relative ease there is no way I could do that on mountainous terrain without feeling winded.  Nam Yi and his companions were continually tiring out but these Chinese guys just wouldn’t give up, it was as if they were killers in a horror movie, relentless and always on the move.

As for the disc itself, the movie doesn’t come with a whole lot.  There is a total of approximately 11 minutes worth of bonus features which include trailers, a highlight reel of the best scenes in the movie cut together very quickly with an intense drum backing track, and a four to five minute behind the scenes featurette.  The behind the scenes video showed us some of the training the characters went through to prepare for the role i.e. horseback riding and archery.  We also got to hear each of the main characters briefly discuss their training and thoughts on the filmmaking process and story.  Not much is learned so I’d just stick to watching the film and enjoying it in its stunning Blu-ray HD (if you can).

Overall, War of the Arrows is definitely worth a watch if you’re into historical epics as much as I am.  It has a lot of cool archery battle scenes, some nifty camerawork during said battle scenes, and a badass lead character.  It’s not one you have to own but one I’d suggest renting if and when you have some free time.

Movie Rating: A fun action adventure in the vein of Taken with an Asian Legolas as the star (7/10)

Disc Rating: 5/10

The latest trailer for the film features moving dialogue from the stars, which also includes Kristin Scott-Thomas and Amr Waked.

The romantic dramedy was written by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire), based on Paul Torday’s novel of the same name. IMDB describes the movie with: “A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik’s vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.”

The movie is scheduled for a March 9^th release and looks to be one of those feel good movies with a bigger message about global relations and the power of nature.

Are you interested in seeing this movie? Do you think McGregor and Blunt make a good on-screen match?

Starring Justin Locklear and Cara Johnston, the short follows a guy who encounters his future selves (yes, there are more than just one).  He meets a girl who seems to be having a bad day and the two experience a mini romantic adventure.

The charming short by Jun Kang was featured on Twitch Film. It’s worth watching for the humorous dialogue and artistic cinematography.  Perhaps the short is riding on the coat tails of The Artist since it’s in black and white, but the vintage feel is refreshing.  Of course the screen credits are identical to the famous font Allen uses in all of his movies.

Take a look at the video below and share what you think! Do you like watching short films? Do you think this is original or trying to compact the gems of Allen’s big screen success into a fifteen minute spot?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Suspicion, which also starred Carey Grant, was originally based on the 1932 crime novel, Before the Fact, written by Anthony Berkeley under the pseudonym Francis Iles. The original film follows Johnny Aysgarth, a gambler, who meets an English woman, Lina McLaidlaw, on a train. Eventually, the couple marries, but after the death of Aysgarth’s business partner, his wife suspects him of plotting her murder.

This marks the first feature film script written by Sud, but the second recently announced resurrection of a Hitchcock masterpiece for the 21st century.  DreamWorks has hired Eastern Promises writer Stephen Wright to develop the script for Hitchcock’s Oscar-winning Rebecca from 1940, which starred Sir Laurence Olivier and Fontaine.

Do you think that Hollywood needs to stop remaking classic films? Is there any value in trying to bring an old story back to life?