The casting rumors for Superman: The Man of Steel seem to be heating up as news of the casting of Ursa, Jonathan Kent, and Kal-El himself have stirred up internet sites routinely. The most anticipated casting of the entire film (besides maybe Superman) will be for the role of the principal villain, who we now “know” to be General Zod. After the Ursa rumors hit the mill everyone was clambering to hear the name for the Zod casting. Aside from Lex Luthor, whose appearance in this film is still unknown, General Zod is the most well-known of all Superman villains. He appeared on film in the Donner films played by Terrance Stamp, and was most recently portrayed by Callum Blue on the CW’s series Smallville.
I am General Zod. Your ruler.
Yes, today begins a new order. Rumors of the casting of General Zod in Zack Snyder’s upcoming adaptation have given the fanboys two names to debate – Viggo Mortensen and Daniel Day-Lewis. The Hollywood Reporter has identified Mortensen as a person Warner Bros. is heavily interested in for the role opposite Henry Cavill’s Superman. Mortensen is also in negotiations for a role in Snow White and the Huntsman, and with his involvement in both being unlikely he’ll most certainly have to decide between the two.
this sounds eerily familiar
I’d like him to follow in Kristen Stewart’s footsteps and join her on Snow White, not because I am interested in that film or dislike Mortensen, but because I’d like to see Daniel Day-Lewis play Zod. This rumor has also been picking up steam, and it certainly is the more exciting of the two. Daniel Day Lewis’s filmography reads like a timeline of Academy Award winning films and roles and to see him take on the role of Zod would definitely be worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, until I see the official press release of his casting I’ll remain highly pessimistic. Like Mortensen, Daniel Day Lewis’s name is also attached to another film – Steven Spielberg’s Abraham Lincoln biopic; and the disappointment still lingers from the falsehood of the rumors that Lewis would play Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes sequel.
Aww, did I drink your milkshake?
It seems that actors/actresses/directors turning down roles might be this film’s saving grace. Reportedly Zac Efron, Kristen Stewart, and Ben Affleck have all turned away from this film leading to better personnel decisions being made; will Viggo Mortensen be the next name added to this list? Warner Bros. is scheduled to release Superman: The Man of Steel on December 17, 2012.
While some of you may not get to see these films in the theater, I wanted to give you a heads up about them so that you can either look for them On Demand, or look for them on Netflix in the near future. Here’s what we got for you in this special edition of Trailer Time:
Cold Weather
Cold Weather should have been included during the “Opening This Week” we did on Monday, but the film has been around for a little while, premiering at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival and then the Los Angeles Film Festival and was received well at both. It is finally getting a release in limited theaters and is currently at 60% on RottenTomatoes. It is classified as a comedic mystery involving a modern self-proclaimed Sherlock Holmes who tries to unravel the mystery of his missing ex-girlfriend.
Documenting the Grey Man
This looks like a more indie version of Paranormal Activity(if that’s possible), but instead of presenting an unknown demon, this film brings to life a local legend from Charleston, SC, the Grey Man. If you are unfamiliar with the Grey Man, you can read up on the lore here. The film premiered last night at the Homegrown Film Festival and hopes to get some further distribution, due to its success there.
2011 is here, and with that comes a slew of sequels, remakes, etc., but also the promise of some truly fantastic films. Unfortunately, as I wrote this list, I realized that there are very few independent films on here for me to generate some buzz about. This list is comprised of films that I know of that are coming out this year and it is pretty scant so far. I have my reasons for each of them, most of them having to do with the directors, so if you all disagree with me, feel free to express your opinion in the comments.
Synopsis from IMDB: Two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: It is good to see Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, one of the best comedic duos, back on screen together. Plus, you add Greg Mottola (Superbad) to the director’s chair and a dash of Jason Bateman playing a sardonic government agent and it looks like it will be comic gold.
Synopsis from IMDB: An American priest travels to Italy to study at an exorcism school.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: Yeah, I know, it looks like another exorcism movie.
But wait I thought....
But, with Anthony Hopkins playing a dual role as both teacher and possessed, I hope he can recover from his appearance in The Wolfman. I am really only looking forward to this to see what he can do as someone possessed by the Devil. My hope is that it will be an even more disturbing Hannibal Lecter-ish character, but that is aiming really high.
Synopsis from IMDB: A young girl is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the facility.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: This was my first reaction to the trailer:
Whaaaat?
But then I let it settle a bit and came to the conclusion that Snyder is one of the most visually inventive directors out there and it looks like he will have a field day with this one. Since its source material is critically acclaimed, I am not that worried about the story either. I think this will be an exciting film to see in the theaters, but I will probably only need to see it once.
Synopsis from IMDB: A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: I do not like Robert Pattinson, but I really like the other two starring actors. I also think this film will have visual flair and will be one of the more beautiful films of the year.
6. X-Men First Class
Release Date: 3 June, 2011
Starring: James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Kevin Bacon
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Synopsis from IMDB: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-MEN.
Trailer:
No Official Trailer Available
Chris’ Take: I was completely disappointed with the last two X-Men films, but there is hope yet again for the franchise with Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, Layer Cake) taking control of the director’s chair and Bryan Singer, the man who made the first two films some of the best superhero adaptations, producing. I think this film will return to some of the grit that made them so likable in the first place.
Oh yeah, and Kevin Bacon.
5. The Green Hornet
Release Date: 14 January, 2011
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou
Director: Michel Gondry
Synopsis from IMDB: Following the death of his father, Britt Reid, heir to his father’s large company, teams up with his late dad’s assistant Kato to become a masked crime fighting team.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: When I first heard about this, I didn’t give it a second thought. Seth Rogen transports his vulgarity spewing every man character, whose charm is rapidly wearing out, into another vehicle. But, a little comment from Michel Gondry after Comic-Con got me thinking I might want to see this. Apparently, at Comic-Con the die hard Green Hornet fans didn’t think it stuck to the source material close enough and Michel Gondry essentially said that it was because he wanted to make a good movie. I have a lot of faith in Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my all-time favorite films, so I hope he can inject his skill into a flimsy idea.
4. Sherlock Holmes II
Release Date: 16 December, 2011
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris
Director: Guy Ritchie
Synopsis from IMDB: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson try to outwit their fiercest adversary, Dr. Moriarty.
Trailer:
No Official Trailer Available
Chris’ Take: The first installment was witty and the pace was perfect. I really enjoyed that it got past the cartoonish version of Holmes and spent some times showing some flaws. Guy Ritchie is a great director for this as well and while I am disappointed that Daniel Day-Lewis won’t be playing Moriarty, I am interested to see what Mad Men’s Jared Harris does with the role.
3. The Muppets
Release Date: 23 November, 2011
Starring: The Muppets, Jason Segel, Amy Adams
Director: James Bobin
Synopsis from IMDB: Kermit the Frog and his Muppet pals put on a show to save their theater.
Trailer:
No Official Trailer Available
Chris’ Take: I grew up with the Muppets and one of the few Christmas movies that I can struggle through is A Muppet’s Christmas Carol. I am glad to see someone like Segel taking this over, since he has a great respect and love for The Muppets, as witnessed in this clip from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
James Bobin is a great pick to direct as well and he is teaming up with Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords to make the music, which should be a good combination as well. There have been a lot of rumored cameos as well. Here are just some of the names that might be attached to the project: Emily Blunt, Jane Lynch, Jack Black, Ed Helms, John Krasinski, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mickey Rooney, Billy Crystal, and Lady Gaga.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Release Date: 15 July, 2011
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes
Director: David Yates
Synopsis from IMDB: The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemorts final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: I almost fell asleep during that last one, but I am sure this one will keep me awake as the series comes to an end. There really isn’t much to say about this that most of you don’t already know, except for why this isn’t #1.
1. The Tree of Life
Release Date: 27 May, 2011
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Fiona Shaw
Director: Terrence Malick
Synopsis from IMDB: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: I don’t think I have ever seen a trailer as breathtaking and captivating as that was. Based on that alone this is my most anticipated film of the year. I just hope the emotions captured in the preview can be stretched out for the duration of the film.
Some of you might notice a distinct lack of some superhero films on here, which based on the rumors flying around the web, you might think I would put on here. While I do look forward to seeing some of them, namely Green Lantern and Captain America, I think that the Marvel films will be more of a bridge to the Avengers project and will lack focus and direction. I hope I am wrong since I am a sucker for superhero films, but I can’t say that I expect much from them.
Because this is all they expect from me.
What are some of your most anticipated films of the year? Share them in the comments.
The casting rumors for Superman: The Man of Steel seem to be heating up as news of the casting of Ursa, Jonathan Kent, and Kal-El himself have stirred up internet sites routinely. The most anticipated casting of the entire film (besides maybe Superman) will be for the role of the principal villain, who we now “know” to be General Zod. After the Ursa rumors hit the mill everyone was clambering to hear the name for the Zod casting. Aside from Lex Luthor, whose appearance in this film is still unknown, General Zod is the most well-known of all Superman villains. He appeared on film in the Donner films played by Terrance Stamp, and was most recently portrayed by Callum Blue on the CW’s series Smallville. 
Brian Pac Sostak
Chris Petersen
Sarah Higgins
stjerome03
Chris and Pac Take on Hollywood 