Albert Brooks Commits to Finding Nemo 2

In my head, I play this scene as Albert Brooks; half serious, half parody.

"Nemo is missing! AGAIN!"

I can't get over Pixar reducing itself to Finding Nemo 2. Their batting average alone puts everyone else to shame. But this is a sequel and sequels, as you know, print money. Those original concepts of theirs (the Ratatouilles, the Ups, the Wall-Es) don't do that fast enough to their liking, I guess. It helps (ahem "helps") Andrew Stanton has the directorial equivalent to hemmohards after the hemorrhaging also known as John Carter of Carter. And here we are.

A deal with Ellen DeGeneres is long since done. So now Pixar has pulled out their checkbook and signing over another hefty amount for Albert Brooks to return as Marlin, the over-protective clownfish father of the title character. Maybe in this time, he goes missing? Eh?

As my pal Renn Brown suggested, I'll wrap myself up to the thought of Pixar's next projects following the equally "Really?" follow-up Monsters University: The Good Dinosaur and The Inside Out.

Superman & Zod Share A Moment In Smallville

When Man Of Steel was shooting in Illinois we were treated with many an on set photo. Superman punching the air, Zod wearing a cloak and looking surprised, and other such mundane glimpses of the Smallville set. The average person wouldn't care about that for even a moment, but to a film fanatic, it's like Christmas morning.

Another shot has just surfaced online within the depths of the SuperHeroHype Forums, courtesy of poster EtherMagic. The photo of Henry Cavill and Michael Shannon enjoying a respite from filming is one of the best on set shots I've seen. Looks they aren't going to be buying refreshments at the 7/11 though.

New Man of Steel Image Is Bad Ass

Take a nice long look at the image above. Superman crouched down to one knee with his cape blowing in the wind, in what can be referred to in football terminology as the classic '3 point stance'. The Man Of Steel. Determined.

When I logged into my email after work this evening this photo was waiting in my inbox. Sent from an erroneous address with three simple words in title, "Run With It". Immediately I remembered seeing this yesterday on a message board I frequently visit, but oddly enough it has since disappeared into the Phantom Zone.

So either this is an actual publicity photo from Man of Steel or quite possibly the best fan manip I have ever seen. You'd think if this is a studio official image that it should be killing our eyesight at every corner of the city, across each passing bus, and of course in theatres so moviegoers can be slapped in the face with the buildup of excitement.

There was a big piece of 'super' missing from the Superbowl if you ask me so I hope we don't have to wait much longer for a marketing campaign. You listening Warner Bros?

Jack the Giant Slayer Trailer # 3 - Still Not Feeling It

I want to like Jack the Giant Slayer. Honest! Bryan Singer is a skilled director (I'll argue he's yet to make a film that didn't work) and he's assembled a capable cast. And who isn't up for an action/adventure fairy tale?

However, none of the publicity materials have done an adequate job making me want to see it. This latest trailer is no exception. Playing rock music? What the Hell is this? The U.S. cut of Legend?

Monsters University Trailer Is Cute Enough

Pixar is doing their version of the college comedy with Monsters University. I'm sure there will be an Animal House homage in there. Here's the new trailer:

It's alright. Nothing wrong with it. Guess I'm still left cold on the notion of prequelizing Monsters Inc.

Weekend Box Office: February 8-10

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  Identity Thief - $36.5 million

2.  Warm Bodies - $11.5 million

3.  Side Effects - $10 million

4.  Silver Linings Playbook - $6.9 million

5.  Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - $5.7 million

6.  Mama - $4.3 million

7.  Zero Dark Thirty - $4 million

8.  Argo - $2.5 million

9.  Django Unchained - $2.2 million

10.  Bullet to the Head - $1.9 million

Despite a blizzard wreaking havoc in the Northeast, there was no stopping Identity Thief this weekend, as the comedy earned an estimated $36.5 million.  That's a great start - the biggest opening of 2013 so far - not to mention a perfect response to the oh-so-irrelevant critic Rex Reed, who took some childish jabs at star Melissa McCarthy's weight in his review of the film.  Although, all anyone needs to do is watch Bridesmaids to be reminded how awesome McCarthy is.

Warm Bodies, which opened big last weekend with $20 million, held up very well in its second weekend, earning another $11.5 million.  With new episodes of The Walking Dead starting tonight on AMC, it looks no one can get enought of zombies at the moment.  This weekend's other new release, Side Effects, from the apparently retiring Steven Soderbergh, also did pretty well with $10 million.

The Oscar nominees are still taking a few spots in the top ten, with Silver Linings Playbook doing the best in fourth place with $6.9 million.  It should break the $100 million mark by next weekend.  Frontrunner Argo returned to the top ten (it was #18 last week) with $2.5 million.  Zero Dark Thirty added another $4 million, while Django Unchained earned $2.2 million.

The weekend's other new release was more of big-screen ad for the upcoming blu-ray release of Top Gun, but the 80s classic did manage to earn $1.9 million at 3D IMAX locations.  There was probably no need for a Top Gun re-release, but with Hansel & Gretel stinking up the IMAX theaters for the last few weeks, we'll take it, right? 

Speaking of 80s classics, next weekend sees the return of Bruce Willis as John McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard, which is coming out on Thursday for some reason (hey, nothing says Valentine's Day...).  Joining it will be Beautiful Creatures, the supernatural love story that isn't Twilight, the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation Safe Haven, and the animated alien comedy Escape from Planet Earth. 

Sam Rockwell To Star in Boxing Drama

Sam Rockwell is joining the likes of Jon Voight, Robert De Niro, and Daniel Day-Lewis who decided they wanted to step into the ring and learn 'the sweet science' for film.

Rockwell is set to be re-teaming with his A Single Shot director, David M. Rosenthal, for an untitled biopic of boxer Billy Miske.

Miske was a boxer in the 1920s who - while in his prime - learned he had a fatal disease yet decided to tell no one and continued to fight on as he wore away.

Rosenthal said of Rockwell playing the role:

“He’s been wanting to do a boxing movie forever, I’ve wanted to do a boxing film."

Rosenthal - who bought the rights for the Clay Moyle biographical novel, Billy Miske: The Saint Paul Thunderbolt (official synopsis can be read below) - wants this to be his next project as the picture is currently out to writers.

I think this can be a great role for Rockwell to really showcase his talents while at the same making a fantastic film.  People and critics love boxing flicks (just ask Mark Wahlberg or Sylvester Stallone) and any picture involving an actor of Rockwell's range certainly has the potential to be something special.

Novel Synopsis [via Amazon]:

Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is Clay Moyle's second biography and a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed tome concerning the life and career of Sam Langford. Hall of Fame boxer Billy Miske was arguably the most courageous and inspirational figure in boxing history, and his story is long overdue. During a career that was impeded and cut short as a result of his ongoing battle with a terminal illness, Billy fought a number of the greatest fighters who ever lived, including the likes of Jack Dillon, Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey. The thrilling details and stories surrounding those fights and those of many other ring legends are all here, brought back to life for the reader to enjoy. This book goes far beyond simply chronicling Miske's career, but provides the reader with an in-depth view of a number of the sport's greatest contests and one of the more remarkable periods in boxing's history. Miske's courage and perseverance in the face of his impending death, and his personal sacrifice to provide his family with one last Christmas to remember him by, will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with an indelible image of the man. The book is comprised of 206 pages, including 61 photographs, and includes Miske's record, footnotes and an index. Clay Moyle is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and the author of Sam Langford, Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion. He lives in Edgewood, Washington.

Source: Moviehole

Two New Stills From "Star Trek Into Darkness"

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

TREK MOVIE VIA COMINGSOON.NET

"The Host" Poster & Video Featurette With Diane Kruger

What if everything you love was taken from you in the blink of an eye? "The Host" is the next epic love story from the creator of the "Twilight Saga," worldwide bestselling author Stephenie Meyer. When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about -- Jared (Max Irons), Ian (Jake Abel), her brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury) and her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt), proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.

REGAL , HOLLYWOOD CRUSH , COMINGSOON.NET

An Extended Preview of Pixar's "Monsters University"

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. “Monsters University” unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

Screaming with laughter and fun, “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”) and produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”). The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

ANIMATION FASCINATION